World Cup Preview
After a brilliant summer of test cricket, attention turns to the 50 over format for the World Cup. Hosts India & England dominate the market, the pre market favourite has won 5 of the last 6 50 over World Cups & the tournament being held in India means they are worthy favourites.
However, South Africa could be good value at a bigger price. Their World Cup record is disappointing which would be a concern, but you’d be hard pushed to find a better batting lineup in the competition than that of the Proteas. Captain Bavuma has averaged 79 across 10 ODI games this year & de Kock and Van Der Dussen make it a fantastic top 3. A middle order consisting of Markram, Klaasen & Miller is unlikely to be bettered anywhere in the world & the big hitting Jansen at 7, South Africa could bat teams out of the game. The bowling is weaker than those at the head of the market but Rabada and Jansen have good pedigree in ODI’s and they have some nice spin options as well. If they can overcome their poor World Cup record they could certainly go deep in this competition.
Afghanistan
The spinners are the stand out players in the Afghanistan team, with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb and Nabi all lining up. Rashid Khan is the likely top wicket taker for them but at an odds-on price I’m happy to look at the batting for a betting angle instead & Zadran would be my selection. Gurbaz is the favourite with most bookies but his aggressive nature will likely lead to some low scores against the better bowling sides, while Zadran plays more of an anchoring role, which has seen him score 4 centuries in his 19 ODI games, averaging over 50 in this format. With a weak batting lineup beyond the opening pair, 11/4 looks a great price on the 21 year old.
Australia
Australia are a team I can’t wait to see at the World Cup, many of their players have played in the IPL and been successful in India & I fancy them to go deep in this years tournament. Adam Zampa had a fantastic 2022 in ODI’s taking 30 wickets at an average of just 17.5. Whilst 2023 hasn’t proved quite so fruitful, with an average of 32.4, playing in India will help the Aussie Spin King and at 7/2 he could prove excellent value against the seamers. With the bat it’s hard to separate Warner, Marsh and Smith but I’m opting for the latter, whose record in India is strong. He averages over 40 and has had a lot of success in the IPL in the shorter format and at around 3/1 I’ll be opting to side with him.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh look a weak side coming into this tournament and I can’t see them having much success outside of the Netherlands game, but I do like them from a betting angle. Taskin Ahmed is a bowler I like and he’s taken 21 wickets in 11 ODI’s this year at an average of just 16.85. Shakib Al Hasan heads the betting and at 5/1 I think Taskin has been hugely underestimated in the market & he would be one of my most confident selections at the prices. I also like Najmul Shanto to top score for Bangladesh at a rough price of 4/1. He scored 2 fifties in the 3 match ODI series against England showing he can score runs against the top nations & he scored 89 and 104 in his 2 Asia cup games before getting injured. Shakib and Das dominate the market as more household names, but Shanto could really make a name for himself in this tournament and looks a nice bet.
England
England, as usual, have an extremely strong squad and with the return of Ben Stokes the batting lineup looks formidable. Malan has been in superb form in the buildup to the World Cup, scoring heavily against New Zealand but I’m siding with his opening partner Jonny Bairstow. Jonny has much more experience batting in India than Malan and with Root’s form coming into the tournament questionable, I’m backing Bairstow to lead from the front. He averages over 45 in this format and I was amazed to see prices as big as 4/1 on him to top score for an England side that should go deep in the tournament. With so many seam options, I would expect the bowlers to be heavily rotated, particularly in the easier games so I would be happy to avoid that market.
India
India’s strength in depth as well as home advantage makes them strong favourites for a tournament which will see some of their greatest ever batsmen likely play in a 50 over World Cup for the last time. If it is to be their last World Cup Kohli and Rohit will look to go out on a high but I’m siding with a man who will play many more World Cups, Shubman Gill. Gill set the IPL alight this year with a series of huge scores and his ODI record is just as impressive. He has already scored 6 centuries and 9 fifties in just 35 ODI’s, averaging 66. He has been heavily backed in the market over the last few days but he’s still around 9/4 and I’d be happy to take that price.
Netherlands
It’s no shock that I think the Dutch will struggle massively over the coming weeks so I’m looking to avoid them as best I can but captain Scott Edwards impressed in qualifying with an average of 62.8, including four fifties and he looks a fair price at around 4/1.
New Zealand
My best bet of the tournament comes in this market in the shape of opening batsman Devon Conway, who is around a 5/2 shot to top score for the Kiwis. Conway is becoming as solid an opener in white ball cricket as anyone in the world and with captain Williamson missing the opening game at least, Conway could have a healthy head start over the captain who’s second in the market. With the ball, Boult has been consistently taking wickets but with spin expected to play a huge part at this tournament, I’m taking him on with 6/1 Ish Sodhi, who took wickets in every game against England and followed up with a 6fer against Bangladesh.
Pakistan
Pakistan are the easiest team to analyse from a betting perspective because Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are both odds against. It would be a massive shock to me we’re Babar not to top score for Pakistan and at 11/10 in most places he would be the banker of the tournament for me. Shaheen faces more competition in the bowling market with fellow quick Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan so I’d be happy to leave the bowlers alone.
South Africa
As I’ve already touched on I fancy South Africa to have an enormous tournament and think they’re overpriced for it. The batting lineup is so strong that any of the top 6 batsmen wouldn’t surprise me if they top so I’m happy to leave that alone. Rabada is the standout when it comes to the bowlers but with a questionable recent injury record, it remains to be seen if he’ll play every game against the weaker sides, so I’m happy to take him on with the big all rounder Marco Jansen at around 7/1. His ODI bowling statistics aren’t the best, but he ended the recent Australia series with a 5fer and this could be his breakout tournament on the international stage, 7/1 seems a big price.
Sri Lanka
Like Netherlands, Sri Lanka look weak so I’m not keen on them as a betting proposition, and with a number of spinners who look quite similar, the bowling is a minefield that I don’t want to touch. With the bat Pathum Nissanka is the stand out at the top of the order and at 10/3 I’m happy to take him to top score for the Asia Cup runners up.
Outrights
I prefer to stick to top team run scorer than the overall run scorers but with some bookies paying 4 places I’m happy to back Bairstow at 20/1 each way. I’m also surprised to see Ibrahim Zadran as big as 100/1 in places so I’ll also have a very small each way bet on him.
With the ball, nobody stands out to me hugely as I think rotation will be rife in the big teams so for that reason I’m opting for Adam Zampa as I think he’ll play every game and at 16/1 I think he has every chance if Australia go deep.
The player of the tournament market is one I love after Sam Curran’s 125/1 success at the last World Cup. Marco Jansen is in a similar place to where Curran was before that World Cup, batting at 7, he’ll contribute with the bat, but is also starting to play a much bigger role with the ball. The big South African is currently 100/1 and that is a price big enough to tempt me. I’m also happy to back Bairstow at 25/1 in the same market, should England reach the latter stages as expected, I’d fancy Bairstow to have racked up some massive scores by that point.
Super Boost:
BinkBet have boosted England to win the World Cup to a market leading 4/1. Max stakes apply.
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