The 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup heads to Bangalore on Friday, where Australia and Pakistan will meet in a tournament defining clash.
A loss for either team would put a disastrous dent in their aspirations, so expect the stars to step up for the occasion.
Draftstars has put up a huge $12,000 contest, so check out our full preview with fantasy tips below.
2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup Fantasy Tips
Australia vs Pakistan
Australia Predicted XI: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
Pakistan Predicted XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Australia finally broke their drought against Sri Lanka, notching up their first victory of the tournament in surprisingly commanding style. At 1/157, Sri Lanka were cruising in the first innings as Australia’s quicks Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins again proved to be ineffective with the new ball. However, the tide quickly turned, with the Aussies taking 9/52 to roll their opposition for a paltry 209. It was spinner Adam Zampa who did the bulk of the work, taking 4/47 in his best spell of the competition so far. Starc also continued his consistent start to the 2023 CWC, finishing with 2/43. A couple of underperforming batsmen then stood up to make light work of the chase – Mitch Marsh recaptured some form with 52 off 51 balls, while Josh Inglis cemented his spot in the XI for the short term with 58 off 59. Thanks to the five-wicket win and other results going their way, Australia are now well and truly back in the hunt, but they need to keep winning to stay in control of their destiny. I doubt that the selectors will tinker with a winning line-up for this game, although it will be interesting to see how the fast bowlers and underdone players are managed over the course of this gruelling tournament.
Despite sitting above Australia in the pecking order, Pakistan are facing challenges of their own after losing to bitter rivals India. Not only did Pakistan lose their most recent match to sit 2-1, but since then several players have battled illness, undermining their preparation for the upcoming game against Australia. It’s hardly an ideal scenario in the middle of the World Cup, and it may well impact performance on Friday night. Speaking of the seven-wicket loss to India, only a few individuals justified their selection – Babar Azam (50) and Mohammad Rizwan (49) displayed their experience with the bat, and Shaheen Afridi was back amongst the wickets (2/36). Aside from those three, the scorecard made for depressing reading. Nevertheless, Pakistan are still well placed to advance into the latter stages of this tournament, especially if they overcome adversity to defeat Australia.
Draftstars Tips
Love It – Glenn Maxwell $17,800
Maxwell has been one of the most reliable DFS selections of the tournament so far, averaging 92 with two scores over 100. The Aussie all-rounder has thrived as Adam Zampa’s deputy, conceding less than four runs per over while also taking wickets with his off spin. More importantly, we have yet to see the best of Maxwell’s hitting the bat, so he still has upside.
Love It- Mohammad Nawaz $12,700
Nawaz has had a quiet start to the tournament, averaging just 38 DFS points over his first three matches, but the matchup is perfect for him here. Australia are notorious for struggling against spin and Nawaz will enjoy turning the ball away from Australia’s plethora of right-handed batsmen, making him a great selection.
Don’t Love It- Shaheen Afridi $17,000
Despite entering this tournament as one of Pakistan’s most important players, Afridi has played little more than a background role so far. The strike bowler has been well below his best, and a bout of illness can’t have done him any good. Furthermore, Australia have actually been solid at the top of the order, for the most part, so Afridi will have his work cut out trying to take early wickets.
Don’t Love It- Steve Smith $16,900
Smith is another star who has struggled at this World Cup, averaging just 20 DFS points. The Aussie champion can’t seem to find his groove with the bat, yet he will still cost you nearly $17k on Draftstars. Considering Smith’s sole source of points is runs, I’ll be looking elsewhere on this slate.
Who Knows- Mitch Marsh $16,800
Marsh fits this category again, even after tallying 75 DFS points against Sri Lanka. The dynamic opener has had a hit and miss tournament, but it’s worth noting that he averages 50 runs per innings in ODIs in India, with five scores of 47 or more in just eight innings. As such, Marsh is a player who may well make or break this slate.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
