Cricket World Cup 2023: Who are the top three favourites?

As the old saying goes you have to be in the race to win it, all ten squads will fancy their chances of lifting one-day cricket’s most coveted trophy on November 19.

However, like in most competitions, some of the teams appear to hold better chances than others given their pedigree, strengths, balance and conviction.

Here are the three teams who could be dominant forces at the ICC World Cup which starts on October 5 in India.

England

England is by far the most balanced of the 10 teams vying for glory in India. They boast a high-class top order supported by an outstanding five-pronged pace attack.

The abundance of talent in English colours is breathtaking and the resilience that they demonstrated in the Ashes against Australia will guarantee that they go all out to retain the trophy they won in 2019.

In skipper Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone, England have an array of explosive batsmen. The classy Joe Root is the glue that binds the batting unit together.

They also have a terrific pace attack featuring the red-hot Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Reece Topley, David Willey and Sam Curran.

This team also possess some serious all-rounders in Curran, Woakes, Livingstone and last. but not least, Adil Rashid, the world-class white-ball leg-spinner.

Without a doubt, England will be inspired by the return of Stokes who has come out of retirement with the hope of helping the team complete back-to-back World Cup triumphs.

Squad:

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

ICC ODI ranking: 5

World Cup record: One title (2019)

Australia

Like the All Blacks in rugby Australia’s Baggy Green have always spelled fear. But up-and-down recent form coupled with injuries to key players has diluted the venom that Pat Cummins and his team will bring to the table.

In the four ODI series that they have played this year, the Aussies have won two, against England and India, but lost to South Africa and most recently India during their World Cup preparations.

Batting has been the backbone of the five-time champions with a line-up featuring high-quality ODI specialists David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and the explosive Glenn Maxwell. This can also be said of their dangerous attack which is spearheaded by Cummins and is bolstered by the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green.

With Green, Stoinis, Maxwell and Marsh being top all-rounders, Australia are a formidable team. But their hopes will also depend on the form of Adam Zampa whose leg-spin could be key if Australia have to play on turning tracks in some matches.

Squad:

Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.

ICC ODI ranking: 3

World Cup record: Five titles (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)

India

• Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin says 2023 World Cup could be his last for India