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The World Cup in India is a matter of days away.
England are one of 10 teams competing and will hope to defend their title after the famous victory on home soil in 2019.
Can Jos Buttler’s side do it again? Will hosts India make most of home advantage? Will we see a surprise winner?
To help answer those questions BBC Sport has worked with data analysts CricViz to produce a team-by-team guide to the 10 participating nations.
Afghanistan
CricViz win probability: 1.3%
The statistics paint a mixed picture for Afghanistan between bat and ball.
They have a bowling economy rate of 6.62 in the last 10 overs since the last World Cup, the best of any full member nation. However, they have only scored at 6.74 in the last 10 overs in the same timeframe – the lowest of any full member nation.
Crucial player: Rashid Khan
No bowler has more wickets in the Indian Premier League than Rashid Khan’s 139 since the leg-spinner made his debut in the competition in 2017.
Australia
CricViz win probability: 15.6%
Five-time winners Australia have great batting depth – Cameron Green could bat as low as eight in a squad packed full of all-rounders. But they are short in the spin department, with Ashton Agar’s injury meaning Adam Zampa is the sole spinner in the squad.
Crucial player: Glenn Maxwell
The powerful all-rounder averages 37 and has a strike-rate of 180 in overs 41-50 since the last World Cup – and his off-spin will be needed too.
Bangladesh
CricViz win probability: 2.9%
Since the last World Cup, Bangladesh have a strong home record (16 wins, nine defeats) but have been less convincing away from home (nine wins, 12 defeats). They will also be unfamiliar with conditions – Bangladesh have only ever played nine one-day internationals in India, and none since 2006.
Crucial player: Shakib Al-Hasan
The Bangladesh captain was one of only three players to score more than 600 runs in the 2019 World Cup, alongside Rohit Sharma and David Warner.
England
CricViz win probability: 17.3%
England have a catch success rate of 84% in one-day internationals since the last World Cup, the highest of all 10 teams competing in this tournament.
But with the bat, the end of the Jason Roy-Jonny Bairstow opening partnership has seen a drop-off in their powerplay scoring rate. In 2023, they have scored at 5.30 runs per over in the first 10 overs, their lowest since 2014.
Crucial player: Ben Stokes
The talismanic all-rounder has finished not out in 13 of the 34 one-day international run chases he has featured in since 2015.
India
CricViz win probability: 21.9%
Since the last World Cup, India have played 66 matches, 10 more than any other team in this tournament (Sri Lanka have played the second-most games with 56). Their batting has also been particularly strong in the middle overs, going at 5.76 runs per over since the last World Cup which is second only to England (6.01).
Crucial player: Virat Kohli
Currently on 47 one-day international hundreds, Kohli needs three more to overtake Sachin Tendulkar as the batter with the most hundreds in this format.
Netherlands
CricViz win probability: 0.0%
In the World Cup Qualifiers, Netherlands’ bowlers averaged under 30 with an economy rate of just 4.12 in the first 10 overs, and that was without Paul van Meekeren who will improve that area of their game even further. They are less potent in the middle overs, averaging 59 between overs 11 and 40 in the past two years.
Crucial player: Bas de Leede
The 23-year-old all-rounder averaged 48 with a strike rate of 101 in this year’s World Cup Qualifiers. He also took 15 wickets at an average of 22 in the competition.
New Zealand
CricViz win probability: 8.5%
Since the start of 2010, New Zealand have only won 29% of the one-day internationals they have played in India, with six victories in the 21 matches they have played in that time.
They have also struggled with their bowling at the death recently, conceding runs at 7.91 per over in that phase since the last World Cup, the second highest among full members.
Crucial player: Trent Boult
The left-arm seamer took 39 wickets in the past two World Cups, second only to Australia’s Mitchell Starc (49).
Pakistan
CricViz win probability: 11.6%
In the middle overs since the last World Cup, Pakistan average 45.98 runs per wicket, largely thanks to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
They also have two of the fastest bowlers in the tournament in Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. Shaheen’s potency with the new ball and Rauf’s death-over skills make them a complementary threat.
Crucial player: Shaheen Shah Afridi
Another pacey left-armer, Shaheen averages just 24 with the ball in the first 10 overs of one-day internationals and took 4-35 against India in Pallekele last month.
South Africa
CricViz win probability: 14.1%
Heinrich Klaasen is arguably the in-form batter in the world in this format, but South Africa have a concerningly long tail, with Keshav Maharaj likely to bat as high as eight, with Marco Jansen at seven.
Crucial player: Heinrich Klaasen
The big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter averages 59 with a strike-rate of 151 in one-day internationals in 2023, including a brilliant 174 from just 83 deliveries against Australia in September – the highest ODI score for a batter coming in in the 25th over or later.
Sri Lanka
CricViz win probability: 6.8%
Even without the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka have a dangerous spin attack, with Maheesh Theekshana (eight wickets at 29, economy of 5.15 in the Asia Cup) and Dunith Wellalage (10 wickets at 18, economy of 4.26 in the Asia Cup).
But they have struggled with the bat at the death recently, scoring at just 7.21 runs per over in the last 10 overs since the 2019 World Cup, higher only than Afghanistan in that time.
Crucial player: Charith Asalanka
The left-hander, who made his ODI debut in 2021, averages 60 against spin bowling. He scored a century against Australia in Pallekele in 2022.
