ICC World Cup 2019: 3 key players for Australia 

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Australia
Australia

The ICC World Cup 2019 is scheduled to begin in England & Wales from 30 May with hosts England preparing to lock horns with the Proteas. Starting off with a guaranteed thriller, the tournament is sure to have loads of moments for the fans to cherish about.

There has been clear domination of Australia when it comes to the World Cup history. They first won the championship in 1987, under the captaincy of Allan Border. From 1999 to 2007, Aussies won three consecutive World Cups, once under Steve Waugh and twice under Ricky Ponting. Rewriting history at ease, the side increased the tally to five by defeating New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final on home soil.

However, Australia is unlikely to have the upper hand they have always enjoyed, this time around. A few in-form players, who haven't found a place in the traveling party.

But still, the Kangaroos are a force to reckon with, and they still have a set of players who can leave an impact in England.

Now, we take a look at 3 players who would be key in Australia's title defense on the big stage.


#3 Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc would undoubtedly be one of the most feared bowlers at the World Cup. In the favorable conditions of England, the 29-year old is likely to have a merry time troubling the batsmen.

Starc has played 75 ODIs for Australia and picked up 145 wickets including five 5-wicket hauls. He will be the only Australian bowler in the squad to have played the 2015 World Cup. In 2018, the left-arm fast bowler scalped 11 ODI wickets.

He last played an ODI match in November 2018, against South Africa and his lack of recent game time might be a cause of concern in the Australian camp.

Mitchell Starc got injured in February and was sidelined for the away series against India and Pakistan. However, he is expected to regain match fitness before the commencement of the World Cup.

He will the opening bowler for the defending champions and his ability to swing the ball will be a huge factor in Aaron Finch's bowling plans.

#2 Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch
Aaron Finch

Being the captain of the defending champions will bring a lot of pressure to Aaron Finch's shoulders. However, the 32-year old looks to be enjoying his leadership days, scoring a lot of runs of late.

Finch has played for Australia in 109 ODIs and scored 4052 runs. In the recently concluded Pakistan series, the right-handed batsman bagged 451 runs including two centuries and two half-centuries. He has 634 runs from 13 matches in 2019 and has significantly improved his form after scoring 493 runs in 11 matches in 2018.

Aaron Finch might have a new partner in opening the innings, with the return of David Warner. The skipper had an excellent right-left combination with Usman Khawaja and will be expecting the same with Warner. His explosive starts will be key to Australia in the power play He also holds a decent record in England and averages close to 35.

#1 David Warner

David Warner
David Warner

David Warner has the skill to take Australia a long way in the World Cup on his own. The batsman returning from a one-year ban for ball tampering will put all efforts to be the nation's hero again. A World Cup victory would go a long way in wiping the black mark from his career.

Warner has appeared in 106 ODIs and scored 4343 runs. Despite being away from the game, he has not lost his touch having scored 611 runs from 11 matches for SRH in the IPL this season. He is currently the leading run-scorer in IPL 2019.

Opening the batting with captain Finch, Warner will have a pivotal role in seeing the 'new ball' out for the team. The 32-year old is one of Australia's five players who played the 2015 World Cup. This experience would be extremely crucial to Australia's chances.

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Edited by Aayush Kataria
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