2019 Cricket World Cup

The 2019 Cricket World Cup (or the ICC Cricket World Cup to use its full name) is still quite some way off. In fact, it isn’t scheduled to begin until May 2019. Already, though, qualifiers and preliminaries are deciding the teams which will face each other at the main event. Spread over 48 matches, the upcoming Cricket World Cup may not be the longest ever competition, but it is shaping up to be the most exciting in a long line of terrific tournaments.

The Early Years

Over the years, the Cricket World Cup has provided a host of memorable finals. First held in England in 1975, the tournament grows more popular and more prestigious each event. England (generally regarded as a decent international cricket team) has never won the event but have failed three times in the finals. In terms of winners, Australia leads the way, having won the competition no less than five times since that first 1975 event. Most recently, they defeated their rivals New Zealand in 2015, a side they co-hosted the competition with.

Australia hasn’t had it all their own way, though. In fact, Pakistan won the 1992 event, while prior to the Aussies winning their fifth title, India secured their second in 2011. Caribbean sides have also done well, bagging the first two titles in the very early years of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

The 2019 World Cup

This brings us to the upcoming tournament, the final of which will be held at Lords, the home of English cricket. This will be the twelfth Cricket World Cup, and just ten teams (as opposed to the 14 of the previous two events) will go from a group stage to a semi-final and possibly a final on their travels to success.
And the Winner Will Be?

Is it too early to predict a winner? Not really. Lately, international cricket has become predictable. Australia and India are, of course, the favourites to win the next Cricket World Cup, with England (as ever) also a favourite.

South Africa are an outsiders favourite to lift the trophy, but in reality, it is almost certainly going to be one of the “big three”, despite, the South Africans good run at the 2015 tournament. Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and New Zealand aren’t realistic options, but surprises do happen in sport, and any of those four teams could, in theory, hand out a surprise beating to one of the so-called big boys.

There are still places up for grabs in the qualifiers, too. Sri Lanka, even the Netherlands (whom one would normally associate with cricket) are in the qualifiers, as are many other less established cricket teams. As we’ve said, none are likely to put up too much of a fight, but with the tournament reduced to 10 teams, you’re going to get plenty of excitement from the upcoming tournament. It is still a way off, but perhaps it is time you started paying attention to the Cricket World Cup today?