The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup has commenced in England & Wales, and the excitement levels are touching rooftops.
Team India enters this edition as one of the favourites backed by the captaincy of the ever-dependable King Kohli and a formidable unit overall, with 15 quality players. History was made thirty-six years ago, when India lifted their first World Cup at Lord's. It is regarded as one of the turning points in Indian Cricket.
The big question is, will history repeat itself?
Now two-time World Cup winners, Team India, certainly have both the balance and firepower to clinch the coveted trophy again.
Here are the players which will be playing a key role for the Men in Blue in the blockbuster event:
- Shikhar Dhawan
Our very own Gabbar had a marvelous run in IPL 2019, wherein he amassed 521 runs in 16 matches, scoring at 135.67. Our southpaw hit five fifties and smashed as many as 64 fours, the most by a player in the tournament.
What's more is that Dhawan has a brilliant track record and has performed exceptionally well in the ICC events he has played. He averages over 65 in ICC tournaments and will look to live up to the high expectations all Indian supporters have from him in the opening order.
- Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli did not have the best IPL season, by his standards. He did, however, score a century and amassed a total of 464 runs in 14 matches. Regardless, the Indian skipper is a force to reckon with and will be one of the key players in the team.
The 30-year-old had an overwhelming form in ODIs played in 2019. Kohli scored a fantastic 1202 runs in 14 innings at a mind-boggling average of 133.55.
The Indian skipper also scored a handy 47 off 46 deliveries in the 2nd warm-up game against Bangladesh and looked in good nick. The World’s best ODI batsman has a lot on his plate in the upcoming showpiece.
- Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has been a man on a mission. The all-rounder clinched 14 wickets and scored 402 runs at a breathtaking strike rate of 191.42 in the 16 matches he played for MI.
His brisk bowling and power hitting in the middle order will play a pivotal role for Team India. Pandya, who is in the form of his life, played a little cameo of 21 off 11 in the warm-up game against The Tigers while he clinched a wicket and made a handy 30 in the first warm-up game against New Zealand.
Making a big contribution in Mumbai Indians' IPL triumph also puts him in the right mindset going into the mega event.
- Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah had a fantastic IPL campaign. Currently ranked the Number 1 ODI bowler by ICC, Bumrah clinched 19 wickets in 16 matches in IPL 2019 at an astonishing economy rate of 6.63.
In the first warm-up game against the Kiwis, the 25-year-old had the figures 4-2-2-1 and he also did well against Bangladesh in the 2nd warm-up match - finishing with 5-0-25-2.
Regarded as the best fast bowler by many experts, Bumrah will be looking to lead the Indian pace attack from the front.
Important Fixtures:
India is set to play some grueling matches first up. Virat Kohli and his troops will take on South Africa in their inaugural match on June 5. It is a big game as the Proteas are a tough opponent.
They are currently ranked Number 3 in ICC's ODI Rankings, just 1 place below 2nd ranked India, and are entering the World Cup on the back of a phenomenal series win against Sri Lanka. South Africa completely whitewashed The Lions and won all 5 ODIs as well as the 3 T20Is against them.
Right after the Protean challenge, Team India will lock horns with the Aussies. A battle against the reigning champions is bound to be a competitive one.
Some of the Australian players such as David Warner, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, and Glenn Maxwell can turn the game on its head and are in impeccable form as well.
The Black Caps will square off against Team India on June 13. It will be an interesting match considering the drubbing Kohli and his troops received from them in the warm-up match.
The next showdown will be against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 16. The excitement is always intense for this one as it is known as the ‘Mother of all battles’
Finally, a game against the hosts and Number 1 ODI team presently, England, will be another key fixture in India’s campaign.
Here is India's form in the last 10 One Day Matches (Most Recent to Last):
W L L L L W W W L W
Overall, the Men in Blue are a stable squad with a strong core in their arsenal, and Indian fans can expect them to do exceptionally well in the showpiece event. They have got pretty much all the bases covered now and the onus is on them now to deliver and bring the CWC19 trophy back home, a feat they would repeat for the 3rd time in England.
The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup has commenced in England & Wales, and the excitement levels are touching rooftops.
Team India enters this edition as one of the favourites backed by the captaincy of the ever-dependable King Kohli and a formidable unit overall, with 15 quality players. History was made thirty-six years ago, when India lifted their first World Cup at Lord's. It is regarded as one of the turning points in Indian Cricket.
The big question is, will history repeat itself?
Now two-time World Cup winners, Team India, certainly have both the balance and firepower to clinch the coveted trophy again.
Here are the players which will be playing a key role for the Men in Blue in the blockbuster event:
- Shikhar Dhawan
Our very own Gabbar had a marvelous run in IPL 2019, wherein he amassed 521 runs in 16 matches, scoring at 135.67. Our southpaw hit five fifties and smashed as many as 64 fours, the most by a player in the tournament.
What's more is that Dhawan has a brilliant track record and has performed exceptionally well in the ICC events he has played. He averages over 65 in ICC tournaments and will look to live up to the high expectations all Indian supporters have from him in the opening order.
- Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli did not have the best IPL season, by his standards. He did, however, score a century and amassed a total of 464 runs in 14 matches. Regardless, the Indian skipper is a force to reckon with and will be one of the key players in the team.
The 30-year-old had an overwhelming form in ODIs played in 2019. Kohli scored a fantastic 1202 runs in 14 innings at a mind-boggling average of 133.55.
The Indian skipper also scored a handy 47 off 46 deliveries in the 2nd warm-up game against Bangladesh and looked in good nick. The World’s best ODI batsman has a lot on his plate in the upcoming showpiece.
- Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has been a man on a mission. The all-rounder clinched 14 wickets and scored 402 runs at a breathtaking strike rate of 191.42 in the 16 matches he played for MI.
His brisk bowling and power hitting in the middle order will play a pivotal role for Team India. Pandya, who is in the form of his life, played a little cameo of 21 off 11 in the warm-up game against The Tigers while he clinched a wicket and made a handy 30 in the first warm-up game against New Zealand.
Making a big contribution in Mumbai Indians' IPL triumph also puts him in the right mindset going into the mega event.
- Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah had a fantastic IPL campaign. Currently ranked the Number 1 ODI bowler by ICC, Bumrah clinched 19 wickets in 16 matches in IPL 2019 at an astonishing economy rate of 6.63.
In the first warm-up game against the Kiwis, the 25-year-old had the figures 4-2-2-1 and he also did well against Bangladesh in the 2nd warm-up match - finishing with 5-0-25-2.
Regarded as the best fast bowler by many experts, Bumrah will be looking to lead the Indian pace attack from the front.
Important Fixtures:
India is set to play some grueling matches first up. Virat Kohli and his troops will take on South Africa in their inaugural match on June 5. It is a big game as the Proteas are a tough opponent.
They are currently ranked Number 3 in ICC's ODI Rankings, just 1 place below 2nd ranked India, and are entering the World Cup on the back of a phenomenal series win against Sri Lanka. South Africa completely whitewashed The Lions and won all 5 ODIs as well as the 3 T20Is against them.
Right after the Protean challenge, Team India will lock horns with the Aussies. A battle against the reigning champions is bound to be a competitive one.
Some of the Australian players such as David Warner, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, and Glenn Maxwell can turn the game on its head and are in impeccable form as well.
The Black Caps will square off against Team India on June 13. It will be an interesting match considering the drubbing Kohli and his troops received from them in the warm-up match.
The next showdown will be against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 16. The excitement is always intense for this one as it is known as the ‘Mother of all battles’
Finally, a game against the hosts and Number 1 ODI team presently, England, will be another key fixture in India’s campaign.
Here is India's form in the last 10 One Day Matches (Most Recent to Last):
W L L L L W W W L W
Overall, the Men in Blue are a stable squad with a strong core in their arsenal, and Indian fans can expect them to do exceptionally well in the showpiece event. They have got pretty much all the bases covered now and the onus is on them now to deliver and bring the CWC19 trophy back home, a feat they would repeat for the 3rd time in England.
