All eyes are on England as the 2023 Cricket World Cup draws near. As the defending champions, do they have what it takes to hold on to the title? Or will the tides change, paving the way for India to take over as the reigning champion? If the current odds are anything to go by, India seems to be the early favorite. And most people betting on cricket at this point seem to be embracing this notion. But why is that the case? And if so, should you also back India with a wager? Let’s find out!
The Favorites for the 2023 Cricket World Cup
Bookies have already started zeroing in on their favorites for the upcoming World Cup. And the leads are:
England
The English cricket team put on quite a strong fight in 2019, earning them the ODI World Cup 2019 title. It thus makes sense that punters expect it to hold on to this fete as much as possible. But do they have what it takes?
It’s no secret that their bowling department needs some more work to keep up with India, New Zealand, and Australia – which are also other favorites for the lead. Moreover, with Morgan implying that he might not play in the 2023 Cup, there’s uncertainty about this team’s chances. It does not help that England has lost in its encounters with India and Australia since 2019 – most punters don’t consider that a good sign.
But not all seems to be heading south for this team. After all, the team has held on to its top six team members from the 2019 World Cup, save for Liam Plunkett. Thus, with the same talent battling it out in 2023, we can expect more or less of the past triumphs. And there’s no denying that the team’s batting depth could see them do quite well in their 2023 encounters.
Does that mean you should back this team? Well, the last two years (2020 and 2021) have been marred with COVID regulations. Thus, ODI cricket had to take a backseat. Many experts argue that this favors this English side as most teams have not had the chance to train new ODI players to take on these giants. Even so, bagging another win will be quite a challenge, seeing as the game will take place on India’s turf. And as we all know, the home team always has quite the advantage. Who knows if this will hold in 2023?
India
Many bookies and punters have scribbled India as a favorite. And who can blame them? After all, this team has bagged the championship twice before. Who’s to say that this will not happen in 2023? History does have a way of repeating itself.
Moreover, the Cup will take place in India, giving it an edge. If you can recall, the 2011 game took place in India. And India walked away, having beaten its competitors and bagged the 2011 title. And many people think that this will be the case in 2023.
So, why do we think that India is the favorite for 2023? We have a few compelling reasons, which tie to the recent announcement that Rohit Sharma will take over as the ODI captain:
• Experience: India already has their playing 11 team ready for 2023 and has put measures to ensure that they do not get injured. Moreover, Rohit has the experience needed to see a team bag a title. After all, he captained the Mumbai Indians, a favorite team to win the 2022 IPL. In the past, the ODI Cup team was under Kohli, who, while a good coach, took on an aggressive playing style. Rohit is better known for his composure, encouraging players to keep going even when things seem grim. And who better to head a team when the stakes are high? But that’s not all he’s good for – he also knows how to train players to bring out the best of their skills.
• High Winning Rate: In his years of captaincy, Rohit has led the team to win in 8 out of 10 occasions. How do you like those odds? So, it makes sense that players would trust him to lead them to yet another big win. With Kohli stepping down as captain, he can focus on his batting skills, which will be another plus for this home team. Can you see why India seems to be everyone’s favorite?
Australia is also a favorite, having won the championship five times. Besides, they have an incredible bowling team and have their top order sorted. Let’s not also forget that New Zealand is also in the running. They almost won in 2019, but a boundaries issue saw them lose to England. So, they could be highly motivated to take back what they believe is theirs. It’s still too early to tell which of these teams will emerge as the World Cup 2023 winners, so don’t go putting your eggs in one basket. Good luck!
