Richard Mann's verdict:
In short, England are the team to beat. Their batting is unparalleled, particularly its fearsome middle order, while the emergence of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood's return to fitness means that England finally boast genuine pace to compliment spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. With the best captain in the competition, Eoin Morgan, marshalling his troops with flair and calmness, only the huge weight of expectation upon the shoulders of the England players stands as a potential negative. Their recent record in knockout matches isn't too healthy either.
Mann's Star Man: Eoin Morgan
The upturn in England's white-ball fortunes in the four years since Eoin Morgan took over the captaincy has been remarkable, the side going from 2015 World Cup flops to 2019 World Cup favourites having dominated this form of this game over the last few years. Morgan's attacking, vibrant brand of captaincy has been embraced by his players and with his own form with the bat as good as at any time of his career, he now looks ready for his biggest test of all, one which could well cement the Irishman's legacy in English cricket.
Mann's Wild Card: Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid is often unheralded in a side packed with marquee names and big personalities. Nevertheless, Rashid has become a pivotal member of Eoin Morgan's side with his ability to act as a strike bowler in the key middle overs changing the way spin bowling is viewed in England in this form of the game. 132 ODI wickets and counting, England will want plenty more from the wrist-spinner this summer.
Fixtures: v South Africa (May 30, the Oval), v Pakistan (June 3, Trent Bridge), v Bangladesh (June 8, Cardiff), v West Indies (June 14, Rose Bowl), v Afghanistan (June 18, Old Trafford), v Sri Lanka (June 21, Headingley), v Australia (June 25, Lord's), v India (June 30, Edgbaston), v New Zealand (July 3, Chester-le-Street)
Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Aiden Markram, David Miller, *Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Rassie van der Dussen.
Odds:
Richard Mann's verdict:
For so long, South Africa have arrived at Cricket World Cups armed with beautifully-balanced squads packed with pace and laced with world-class batting, yet have somehow failed to win an ICC event. Graeme Smith's heartbreaking and tense interview in the aftermath of his side's capitulation to New Zealand in India back in 2011 perfectly summed up South African frustrations at another chance gone, while Grant Elliott's heroics, again for the Kiwis, managed to end another promising campaign for the Proteas four years later. With no AB de Villiers, Jaques Kallis or Morne Morkel to call upon this time around, the cupboard looks bare with an ageing Hashim Amla needing to recapture his best form with the bat and Dale Steyn hoping his shoulder of metal and screws can afford him one last hurrah. It seems unlikely and South Africa's wait will surely go on.
Richard Mann's verdict:
If anyone has the firepower and belief needed to stop pre-tournaments favourites, England, on their home soil, India look most likely. Winners in 2011, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli remain from that fine side, only this time it is the latter who is in charge. In the ensuing years, Kolhi has become the biggest name in the sport, the best all-round batsman on the planet and a leader who has dragged his compatriots up with him, driving a new dawn of India cricketers who are fit and strong and able to match the world's best in the field. As ever, the batting relies heavily on Kolhi and the sublime Rohit Sharma but Kohli would do well to make room for KL Rahul at number four while the bowling is very strong, Jasprit Bumrah leading an attack that has pace, guile and wrist spin. Should they reach the knockout stages, don't underestimate the impact Dhoni's calm and experienced head could have. What a way it would be for him to bring down the curtain on a glittering international career.
Mann's Star Man: Virat Kohli
Already a World Cup winner, and having conquered England and the Dukes ball with the bat last summer before going on to lead India to a historic Test series victory in Australia only a few months later, it is hard to imagine that Virat Kohli has many more peeks to scale. Becoming a winning World Cup captain is certainly something he would like to tick off the bucket list and despite arriving in England on the back of a modest IPL, 41 ODI hundreds at an average of close to 60 tells you that he won't stay quiet for long. The best chaser in the history of the game, he might yet become the best batsman in the history of the game. As ever, India's key man.
Richard Mann's verdict:
Regular followers of my twitter feed might have noted that I proclaimed back in November that Australia had zero chance of winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup, so bad and directionless was their white-ball cricket. Six months on, I have the humble pie warming nicely in the oven as Justin Langer and Aaron Finch continue to build an exciting outfit that has seen a sharp recent upturn in fortunes, winning in India before beating Pakistan in Dubai. This is the same Australia that were mauled by England here last summer but they have regrouped and found a winning formula since, led by an astute Finch and a strong pace attack that centres around the outstanding Pat Cummins. The return of David Warner and Steve Smith could prove the icing on the cake; Australian can most definitely win the Cricket World Cup.
Mann's Star Man: Pat Cummins
They say bowlers win you matches and Australian can lay claim to having the best in the world housed in the their ranks right now. Pat Cummins' rise to the top has seemed inevitable ever since he took seven wickets on his Test debut against South Africa at The Wanderers, aged 18, and although a spate of injuries stunted his progress thereafter, he is making up for lost time handsomely. Cummins has enjoyed a relatively injury free last couple of years and he has developed into a brilliant bowler in all conditions, his searing pace and smart-cricket brain making him Australia's most prized asset. You feel he holds the key to their World Cup hopes.
Mann's Wild Card: Alex Carey
Australia have a history of producing fine wicketkeeper-batsmen, Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin the most recent examples. Tim Paine is doing a pretty good job of continuing that trend in Test cricket but he has lost his place in the ODI side to Alex Carey, a reliable gloveman who can bat at the top of the order or score all around the wicket late in the innings. A relative unknown at the time of writing, this might not be the case in two months time.
Fixtures: v Afghanistan (June 1, Bristol), v West Indies (June 6, Trent Bridge), v India (June 9, the Oval), v Pakistan (June 12, Taunton), v Sri Lanka (June 15, the Oval), v Bangladesh (June 20, Trent Bridge), v England (June 25, Lord's), v New Zealand (June 29, Lord's), v South Africa (July 6, Old Trafford)
Squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
Odds:
Richard Mann's verdict:
As ever, New Zealand enter this World Cup somewhat under the radar. Nevertheless, they were runners-up in Australia in 2015 and house many of this same personnel this time around with Kane Williamson leading a side that includes Trent Boult, Ross Taylor and Tim Southee. Williamson and Boult are the two key cogs in this line-up but neither enjoyed stellar IPL tournaments recently and both will need their very best if New Zealand are to enjoy another deep run.
Mann's Star Man: Kane Williamson
Captain, number three batsman and talisman. Kane Williamson has become the most important figure in New Zealand cricket, with his white-ball exploits now starting to match his exceptional Test record, but he doesn't arrive in England in good form following a lean IPL. Williamson was troubled by injury early in that tournament but looked well off the pace upon his return to the Sunrisers Hyderabad side. Expect him to fire again very soon but New Zealand will be desperate for Williamson to hit the ground running when the tournament finally gets under way.
Mann's Wild Card: Ish Sodhi
Good wrist-spinners have become like gold dust in limited overs cricket over the last few years and New Zealand have got themselves a good one in Ish Sodhi. The 26-year-old has strong Big Bash and IPL experience and signed off from his latest visit to India by taking 3-26 in his last appearance for the Rajasthan Royals. His domestic form prior to that was encouraging, too. New Zealand would do well to make him one of the first names on their team sheet.
Richard Mann's verdict:
The 2017 Champions Trophy winners can never be underestimated but their recent drubbing at the hands of England illustrates just how much work they have to do. Much to the frustration of coach Mickey Arthur, the fielding remains poor while the bowling has lost some of its potency. As such, Mohammad Amir has earned a late recall but he isn't the force of old while the batting lacks firepower, particularly in the middle order.
Mann's Star Man: Babar Azam
The best batsman Pakistan house in their ranks and someone who should have ambitions to become one of the best players in the world. Babar Azam boasts a white-ball record that has always read well - his strong off-side game helped when the ball doesn't move sideways - and he will look to do a very similar job to that of Joe Root and Kane Williamson at number three. Azam averaged 55.40 in the recent five-match series against England to enhance his reputation even further.
Richard Mann's verdict:
Bangladesh are yet to make the big impact on the global stage that many had predicted but they have still produced some fine cricketers along the way. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim are two such names, the former one of the best all-rounders in the world and the latter a wonderful wicketkeeper-batsman. Both will need to enjoy fruitful tournaments if Bangladesh are the reach the latter stages, and even then, the Tigers might well fall short again.
Richard Mann's verdict:
Long gone are the glory days of Sri Lankan cricket, the 1996 winners and 2007 and 2011 runners-up having taken a dramatic fall from grace following the retirements of stalwarts Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan. Lasith Malinga remains but he doesn't look the force of old and it no surprise to see him lose the captaincy to Dimuth Karunaratne given how well the latter did with the Test outfit in South Africa earlier in the year. A tough few weeks lay ahead.
Mann's Star Man: Angelo Mathews
He might not have made too many friends with the Sri Lankan cricket board in recent months but Angelo Mathews remains Sri Lanka's best and most experienced batsman. His body has always been fragile but 5381 ODI runs at an average of 42.03 demonstrates what a wonderful servant he has been and his recent domestic form would suggest he is gearing up for one last hurrah.
Mann's Wild Card: Kusal Perera
Sri Lanka don't have too many secrets from anyone nowadays with little mystery spin or unorthodox batting to worry about. However, those of us lucky enough to see Kusal Perera's unbeaten 153 blast Sri Lanka to a famous Test victory over South Africa in Durban earlier in the year will know what a dangerous player he can be. Perera has yet to really deliver on his undoubted talent in this form of the game - now would be the perfect time to put that right.
Richard Mann's verdict:
Given what the country and this team has had to endure in recent years, Afghanistan's very appearance at the Cricket World Cup is cause for great celebration and something all involved should be immensely proud of. However, this talented outfit aren't in England to make up the numbers and in wrist-spinner Rashid Khan, they boast one of the best white-ball operators in world cricket. Reaching the semi-finals should be a bridge too far at this stage but the World Cup debutants have enough firepower to claim a few scalps along the way.
Mann's Star Man: Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan will need little introduction to anyone who has witnessed this brilliant wrist-spinner take the Big Bash and IPL by storm in recent years. Not an overly big spinner of the ball, Khan is deceptively quick and boasts a fine googly that has proven almost impossible read. Like all good spinners, he rarely takes a backwards step and will be desperate to show up well in what is such a huge event for his country.
Richard Mann's verdict:
It is hard to imagine a Cricket World Cup without the flair and panache of Caribbean cricket and I won't have been the only one relieved to see the West Indies qualify along with Afghanistan. As we saw with the Test team against England last winter, captain Jason Holder looks to be driving West Indies cricket back to the top and as ever, they possess some of the most dangerous limited-overs performers on the planet. Chris Gayle, appearing in his last World Cup, remains one of the most intimidating opening batsmen in the sport and the likes of Shia Hope, Kemar Roach and Shimron Hetmyer will be desperate to send the 'Universe Boss' into international retirement with a World Cup winners medal around his neck. They can be bad, they can be brilliant, but the West Indies can never be completely ruled out.