The ICC-conducted cricket world cup comes after every 4 years. Total of 10 teams will participate in the 2019 edition of the mega event to compete for the title. The World Cup had a least of 8 teams (4 world cups, 1975-1987), and the maximum of 16 teams (2007 edition).
Cricket World Cup among the Highest Global Viewership
Australia, the current champions of cricket world cup, had dethroned India, the 2011 Cricket World Cup champions at the last World Cup (2015). Out of many sporting events taking place in the world of sports, the cricket world cup has one of the highest global viewership.
In India: Politics & Entertainment
Across the continents, the game of cricket finds its avid followers and fans flooding cricket stadiums or tuning in to the broadcasting channel to cheer for their favorite team.
Cricket World Cup: King of all Sporting Events
The king of all sports events is the cricket world cup, which takes place after a gap of 4 years. ICC conducts the month-long tournament with much fervor and buzz as fans pour out emotions and cheer ceaselessly for their home team.
The competition features ten teams in the 2019 & 2023 editions. Eight teams ranking 1 to 8 on ICC ODI ranking qualify without playing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, played 18 months before the commencement of world cup. The rest two teams come through the qualifier round.
Hosts of Cricket World Cup
The 2019 cricket world cup to take place in England and Wales. Last time it was held in New Zealand and Australia (2015), and Australia had won it to register their fifth world cup win. Australia is the only team to have won three consecutive worlds cups played in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
In the last Cricket World Cup, Australia had knocked out India in the Semifinals. Team India’s last outing to the event was as defending champions, but could not defend the title as they lost against Australia in the semi-final. But that should not give you the wrong impression. The Indian cricket team had won seven matches on the trot. Undefeated in the tournament before clashing in the semi-finals with Australia, Team India’s campaign came to an ill-fated end.
As cricket world cup 2019 begins after 23 days, it suits here to recall how Team India players performed in 2015. MS Dhoni did extremely well as captain to guide India to the semi-finals. More than captaincy, his batting performance played an important role in giving India seven consecutive wins. With a strike rate of 102.15 and averaging 59.25, he proved yet again a player to reckon with.
Virat Kohli did disappoint in a sense that after hitting a century against Pakistan, he did not click. Rohit Sharma likewise had a lukewarm performance except for the ton against Bangladesh.
Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav were exceptionally good with their bowling performances. With young guns in India’s cricket world cup 2019 squad, it would be great to see how young energy add value to the team.