The silver-lining out of Australia’s World Cup ‘gamble’

“I would hope that they know whoever the player is that they’ve picked who’s not 100 per cent, that he’s going to be able to play most of the games.

“It is a gamble picking someone who’s not 100 per cent. If you know the guy is going to be missing quite a lot (of games), I’d be reluctant to take the gamble.

“In Pat Cummins’ case, I think he knows his team well enough that he thinks the gamble is worth taking.”

Head’s absence has seen Mitchell Marsh partner David Warner at the top of the order, and the all-rounder has been excellent in the role, slamming 96 off just 84 deliveries in a win over India last week.

Chappell said Marsh could remain in the opening position even when Head returns.

“It’s good that Australia has got a choice,” he said.

“I think Head is probably their preferred opener, but the fact that Mitch Marsh has slotted in very well there (could mean) Australia decides they like the left and right-hand combination, so we’ll stick with Marsh and Warner, and bat Head at three.

“That’s the thing about both Marsh and Head, they’re flexible. They’ll be able to mix and match and they (might) feel, ‘Right, we’re better off with Marsh opening’.”

With Australia’s first match against India less than a week away, here is everything you need to know about the cricket World Cup.

World Cup dates

The World Cup will begin on Thursday October 5, as the 2019 finalists, England and New Zealand, square off in Ahmedabad.

Australia will begin its campaign in a match against India in Chennai on October 8.

The World Cup final will take place in Ahmedabad on November 19.

How the tournament works

Each team will play nine group-stage matches, and teams will get two points for a win, one point for a match with no result and zero points for a loss.

If multiple teams are level on points at the completion of the group stage, the placings will be decided by net-run-rate (NRR).

The top four sides will qualify for the semi-finals, to be played in Mumbai (November 15) and Kolkota (November 16).

The winners of the two semi-finals will meet at the 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19.

There will be no ties because of a change to the ICC’s ODI playing conditions since the last edition of the tournament.

All ODI matches are now decided by a super over if the teams finish on the same total of runs.

There will also be no boundary countback due to a change to playing conditions since the 2019 World Cup final, which saw England win the title because it had struck more boundaries than New Zealand.

If the first super over does not deliver a win, super overs will continue to be played until the match is won.

A total of 48 games will be played across the tournament.

How to watch the World Cup

Every Australian match and other headline games will be broadcast live and free on Channel Nine and 9Now. Check out the full Nine Network broadcast schedule below.

Thursday, October 5: England v New Zealand, 7.30pm AEDT

Sunday, October 8: India v Australia, 7.30pm AEDT

Thursday, October 12: Australia v South Africa, 7.30pm AEDT

Saturday, October 14: India v Pakistan, 7.30pm AEDT

Monday, October 16: Australia v Sri Lanka, 7.30pm AEDT

Friday, October 20: Australia v Pakistan, 7.30pm AEDT

Saturday, October 21: England v South Africa, 7.30pm AEDT

Sunday, October 22: India v New Zealand, 7.30pm AEDT

Wednesday, October 25: Australia v Netherlands, 7.30pm AEDT

Saturday, October 28: Australia v New Zealand, 4pm AEDT

Sunday, October 29: India v England, 7.30pm AEDT

Saturday, November 4: England v Australia, 7.30pm AEDT

Sunday, November 5: India v South Africa, 7.30pm AEDT

Tuesday, November 7: Australia v Afghanistan, 7.30pm AEDT

Saturday, November 11: Australia v Bangladesh, 4pm AEDT

Wednesday, November 15: Semi-final one, 7.30pm AEDT

Thursday, November 16: Semi-final two, 7.30pm AEDT

Sunday, November 19: Final, 7.30pm AEDT

World Cup squads

Afghanistan

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Reyaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah Zurmati, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi Eisakhil, Ikram Ali Khil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad Lakanwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman Rahmani, Naveen ul Haq Murid

Australia

Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc

Bangladesh

Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

England

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes

India

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Surya Kumar Yadav

Netherlands

Scott Edwards (c), Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht

New Zealand

Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young

Pakistan

Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim

South Africa

Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams

Sri Lanka

Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka

How does the points system work?

In the group stages, teams will get two points for a win, one point for a match with no result and zero points for a loss.

If more than one team are on the same amount of points at the end of the group stages, placings will be decided on which side has the best net-run-rate.

What does the winner receive?

The champions will win US $4 million, which is the same total that England collected when they won the 2019 World Cup at Lords.

The total prize pool for the event is US $10 million.

The runners-up will receive $2 million. The two teams that lose in the semi finals will each take home $800,000 each.

The six teams knocked out in the group stage will still walk away with $100,000 each.

On top of that, the winners of each group stage will take home $40,000 each.

The maximum a team can take home is a massive $4.36 million.

COVID-19 replacements

India are still under strict seven-day isolation if you test positive to COVID-19.

If a player tests positive during the World Cup, they can be substituted for a replacement approved by the ICC match referee.

The player who tests positive can return after his seven days are completed.

Officials

2023 World Cup umpires:

Chris Brown (New Zealand), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Michael Gough (England), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Alex Wharf (England), Joel Wilson (West Indies), Paul Wilson (Australia)

Match Referees:

Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies), Javagal Srinath (India)

Odds:

SportsBet odds as of October 3, 2023.

England $3.75, India $3.75

Australia $4.33

New Zealand $6.00

Pakistan $7.00

ODI World Cup champions

1975: West Indies

1979: West Indies

1983: India

1987: Australia

1992: Pakistan

1996: Sri Lanka

1999: Australia

2003: Australia

2007: Australia

2011: India

2015: Australia

2019: England