4 lethal opening batting combinations at the 2019 World Cup

As next year’s Cricket World Cup in England approaches, one thing is clear. The teams who score more runs in the first ten overs of the Powerplay are more likely to win matches. Since the second new ball was introduced in ODI cricket, Powerplay scores have increased.

This is due to the balls being newer for longer, resulting in balls coming off the bat faster. Two new balls provide an opportunity for the batting team to get off to a flying start, giving their team the early dominance.

This alongside the ever-improving quality of pitches in limited overs cricket increases the importance of the first 10 overs of the Powerplay.

In this article, I will break down and analyze the 4 best opening partnerships at next year’s World Cup:

#4 David Warner & Travis Head (Australia)

It is not uncommon for Australia to produce lethal opening combinations is white ball cricket. The most famous has been Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, especially at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

Warner and Head may not reach those heights, but they have the ability to be match-winners in this World Cup. David Warner is one of the best openers in world cricket, across all 3 formats of the game. In ODI cricket he has scored 4322 runs at an average of 43.22 in 100 matches. He has scored 14 hundreds and 17 fifties in the format.

One of the most impressive aspects is his strike rate: his runs come at a strike rate of 96.22 runs per 100 balls faced. Travis Head is still making a name for himself at the top of the order in ODI cricket.

Being picked mostly off the form he showed in the Big Bash over the last 3 seasons means his hitting power is no secret. As an international opener, Head has scored 484 runs from 10 matches at an average of 48.4 runs per innings. He has achieved this at a strike rate of 98.44 runs per 100 balls faced. He has scored 1 hundred and 4 fifties. T

his partnership is intriguing for many reasons. Small boundaries and good pitches will suit both players and with Warner’s experience, there is no doubt that he will produce scores. If Travis Head can fulfill his potential, Australia could produce some large scores at the World Cup.

#3 Martin Guptill & Colin Munro (New Zealand)

Martin Guptill and Colin Munro are largely unproven as a partnership in ODI cricket. It’s based on potential and individual performances that they make this list. Martin Guptill is a proven performer in ODI cricket, but Munro is yet to really make a mark in the white balls longest format.

Guptill shot to fame in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against the West Indies, when he scored 237* to help the Blackcaps make the semi-final stages of the tournament. This was not a one-off performance. Guptill has scored 5351 ODI runs at a batting average of 45. He has 13 hundreds and 29 fifties throughout his career. He scores at a strike rate of 84 runs per 100 balls faced. This number is deceiving though.

For a lot of Guptill’s career, he was playing the anchor role at one end as Brendon McCullum was scoring rapidly at the other end. Colin Munro is yet to fully fulfill his potential in ODI cricket. In 16 innings he has scored 425 runs at an average of 26.56. He has 3 fifties to his name. His strike rate is impressive. He scores at a rate of 113 runs per 100 balls faced.

It’s in T20 cricket where he has shown the most potential. He averages 52.00 opening in the shortest format, scoring at a strike rate of 182.3 runs per 100 balls. This includes 2 hundreds and 4 fifties. Guptill and Munro both complement each other’s styles well.

If they can click there is no reason they can’t be the most dynamic opening duo throughout next year’s Cricket World Cup.

#2 Rohit Sharma & Shikhar Dhawan (India)

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have been settled as openers for India for a long time. They are arguably the most consistently performing opening combination in world cricket. India owes a lot of their recent ODI success to the solid starts that Dhawan and Sharma have been able to produce. Sharma has been outstanding since switching from the middle to the top of the order.

As an opener, Sharma has scored 4627 runs at an average of 53.8 runs per innings. He has scored 15 hundreds and 2 quality double hundreds. Sharma scores his runs at an average of 91.1 runs per 100 balls faced. Shikhar Dhawan has been a stalwart at the top of the order for years. In 101 matches he has scored 43611 runs at an average of 45.61 runs per innings. He has scored 13 hundreds and 25 fifties while maintaining an impressive strike rate of 93.44 runs per 100 balls faced.

These two players are both world-class performers. They both know their own games very well and understand how to play in English conditions. Knowing the quality of the batsman below them in the order frees them up to play without fear. This prospect should have opposing captains thinking about the best way to stop the onslaught before it starts.

#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.