4 lethal opening batting combinations at the 2019 World Cup

#1 Jonny Bairstow & Jason Roy (England)

The most lethal opening combination at next year’s Cricket World cup could be Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow. The two power hitters have only been a combination for a short length of time, but have cemented their spots at the top of the order.

Roy has scored 2383 runs at an average of 39 in ODI cricket. This includes 6 hundreds and 12 fifties. Roy’s strike rate is what sets him apart. He scores his runs at an average of 104 runs per 100 balls faced. Jonny Bairstow has been extremely effective for England since he was moved to the top of the order in ODI cricket.

As an opener, Bairstow has scored 1209 runs at an incredible average of 63.09. This includes 6 hundreds and 7 fifties. Even more phenomenal is Bairstow’s strike rate. Since opening the batting, Bairstow has scored his runs at an average of 113 runs per 100 balls faced.

What makes this pair so dangerous to opposing teams is how consistently they score runs at a fast run rate. If these two are still at the crease after the first 15 overs of a match England will be able to chase down or set scores of more than 320+ with ease.