World Cup 2019: SWOT Analysis, X-Factors and Strongest XI of the Semi-Finalists

#2 Australia

Openers Aaron Finch and David Warner have built good starts and capitalised on them, with five centuries between them

Strengths- The Australian top order has been in great touch, essaying majority of the wins. Openers Aaron Finch and David Warner have built good starts and capitalised on them, with five centuries between them.

The pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins has also done wonders for the defending champions, with Starc being the highest wicket taker with 26 scalps.

Weaknesses- No Australian spinner has been able to make an impact at the World Cup. Adam Zampa's leg spin has failed to click, while Lyon has also not managed to be that effective.

This has forced captain Finch to distribute the load of the spinners amongst himself, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.

Opportunities- Pace bowling has been the most important weapon in the arsenal of any side in this tournament. Most of the batsmen among the other three teams have been dismissed by seamers. In such a case, Australia holds the ability to unsettle any opposition with its three-pronged pace attack.

Threats- Australia has failed to find a bankable sixth bowler, should a main-time bowler have a bad day. While the presence of a number of options make the task easier for Finch, this could be a peril in case of an all out attack by an opposition.

Further, Australia has not been as dominant and ruthless as it used to be in the previous decade. Teams such as Pakistan and Bangladesh gave them a run for their money, while an underwhelming South African side got the better of them in the last league game.

Key Players- David Warner, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Starc

X-Factor- Marcus Stoinis

Strongest XI- David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon.