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Australia rose to the occasion superbly to stun India and a crowd of over 100,000 spectators at the Narendra Modi Stadium to win the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Pat Cummins and his bowlers were on point to limit the star-studded India batting line-up to only 240 from their 50 overs as Lokesh Rahul and Virat Kohli notched half-centuries.
However, Travis Head blew their total away with a brilliant hundred at the top of the order, scoring 137 from just 120 balls to steer his side to their sixth World Cup win.
India were left devastated after failing to end their 12-year World Cup drought in front of an expectant home crowd.
It will likely be the final 50-over World Cup for captain Rohit Sharma and potentially Kohli. But, they’re not the only team, who will be pondering the status of their key players ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Despite their potential issues, UK betting sites have installed India as the early favourites in the Cricket World Cup odds for the next tournament.
But, Australia and England are also among the top contenders for the event in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Can India bounce back?
India once again suffered an excruciating defeat at a World Cup. Sharma’s men were outstanding for 10 of the 11 games of the competition, but just like 2015 and 2019 they fell short as the pressure of the occasion overwhelmed them.
Kohli could not have done much more than he did for his team after scoring the most runs by a batter at a World Cup, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record for most ODI centuries in the process.
He will be 39 at the time of the next 50-over World Cup, which might be one tournament too far for him and a number of others. Sharma will be 40, while Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami will also be in their late thirties.
India need to cultivate the next generation of talent, and there were encouraging performances from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, but the bowling ranks do look thin outside of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
Four years is a long time, although India will struggle to boast a stronger bowling unit as they did in 2023 for talent and depth. Odds of 5/2 with bet365 seem short for a team with question marks.
Will Australia remain 50-over kings?
Australia won the title by being clinical under pressure. Cummins’ team were not as dominant as past winners captained by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, but when the spotlight was on them, the Aussies delivered.
Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Head were just a few of the standout players.
It’s telling that Australia won the crown without a significant performance from Steve Smith, while their pace bowlers were not at their best until the latter stages of the tournament.
It was a hallmark of a team that know how to win big games, following on from their ICC Test Championship win over India in the summer and retaining the Ashes.
Looking ahead though there could be issues given the age of a number of Australia’s stars. David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh, Smith and Maxwell could be among those to have played in their final World Cups.
But, no team rebuilds like Australia, and they will surely have a strong line-up at hand for the 2027 tournament. Head is a potential captain in waiting, while Marnus Labuschagne still has plenty to give after his supporting role in the final.
Australia will also be hopeful for the development of Spencer Johnson, Jyhe Richardson and Lance Morris to replace their ageing bowling attack. A price of 7/2 looks appealing for the Aussies to make another run to the final.
What about England?
England’s defence of their 50-over title was an abject disaster. Jos Buttler and his team meekly exited the tournament in the group stage and barely avoided finishing bottom of the standings after beating Netherlands and Pakistan in their final two games.
England have made it clear that they’re ready to move on from their ageing team, having left out Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and their World Cup top run scorer Dawid Malan from their white-ball squads to face the West Indies.
It may not be the end for the veteran players in the short term, although Stokes may opt to call time on his 50-over career once and for all, and he may not be the only one.
Both Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott are toeing a fine line after England’s dismal campaign, and if results don’t improve soon both could find themselves replaced.
England’s young prospects have impressed in brief action, but whether they can reach the heights of the class of 2019 remains to be seen.
The next four years will be crucial for their development to see if they can help England regain their standing as the best white-ball team in the world.
Odds of 11/2 are perhaps worth avoiding for now given the question marks surrounding the team.
Other contenders
New Zealand like the other three leading sides in the world are close to a rebuilding phase. A lot of their stars are in their mid-thirties, including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Daryl Mitchell.
This group of players have come close to winning white-ball trophies, but have failed to get over the line. One standout from the World Cup was the impressive Rachin Ravindra, who will aim to lead the next generation to success in four years.
South Africa buckled under the pressure yet again, making it five World Cup semi-finals without a win. The Proteas failed to deliver against Australia in a tight game, but once again their composure let them down.
Unlike the other nations, South Africa should keep their squad intact, and their bowling attack promises to be just as threatening with Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee leading the way.
Quinton de Kock is going nowhere after a spectacular World Cup, while there are intriguing talents on the horizon such as Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis. A 6/1 shout is worthy of consideration for the host nation in 2027.
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
