World Cup 2019: Andrew Flintoff predicts results of all 10 teams

Former England captain Andrew Flintoff on Wednesday co-anchored the opening ceremony of ICC World Cup 2019 in London and he predicted the results for all the 10 participating nations. The 41-year-old former all-rounder who has played in two World Cups (2003 and 2007) joined all the voices making bold predictions about the tournament and said it will eventually be England who will take the trophy on July 14 when the final will be played.

While Freddie felt defending champions Australia will be the semi-finalists this time, he did not give 2015 finalists New Zealand much of a chance. “Not giving them much hope, to be honest, but I like the New Zealanders,” Flintoff said in a video which was shared by Cricket World Cup on Twitter.

On former champions Pakistan, Flintoff said the Men in Green are good in tournament cricket but gave them an outside chance in the competition. The former cricketer reiterated South Africa’s ‘chokers’ tag indirectly saying they are a good team but will not be able to hold their nerve.

Who’s going to be ‘on top of the world’ at #CWC19? ????

We got @flintoff11‘s quick-fire predictions! ???? pic.twitter.com/vAtsyexb7E

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) May 28, 2019

Flintoff predicted Afghanistan will beat one of the big teams while Bangladesh will struggle in the English conditions. He gave two-time champions Windies an outside bet and said Sri Lanka always have a chance even though the Islanders have had a poor run in ODIs of late.

India could get knocks out by India, feels Flintoff

About Virat Kohli’s India, Flintoff said the former champions could be finalists or semi-finalists who could get knocked out by England. About his home team, he said Eoin Morgan’s men will be the champions of the 2019 edition. England has made the final of the cricket World Cup thrice in the past but lost on all occasions, the latest being in 1992 in Australia when they lost to Pakistan.

England takes on South Africa in the first match of the World Cup opener at the Kennington Oval on May 30. It will be the seventh occasion that the two sides are meeting in the World Cup. Both teams won three games each. It was, however, South Africa who had beaten England by 122 runs the last time they had met in the World Cup in 1999.