Cricket’s greatest prize comes home to Nine when the ICC One Day International World Cup begins tonight at 7.00pm AEST on 9GEM and 9Now.
With 18 big games LIVE at prime time over more than six weeks of top-class cricket action, including every match featuring Australia and every final, Nine will deliver all the most anticipated moments of the World Cup as the top ten cricketing nations in the world collide.
All eyes are on Australia, the defending champions, going into the tournament with ten ODI wins in a row and strengthened by the long-awaited return of Steve Smith and David Warner, who are both in red-hot form.
Coach Justin Langer has a wealth of selection options and some tough decisions to make, as Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh continue to impress with the bat, while all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will also be hard to deny a spot in the team.
Nine’s World Cup coverage will be hosted by Rebecca Maddern, former Australian captains Mark Taylor and Lisa Sthalekar, and wicket-keeping great Ian Healy.
The commentary team will include heavyweights of world cricket such as retired influential Indian batsman Sourav Ganguly, two-time women’s World Cup winner Melanie Jones, one of the greatest batsmen of all time, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, experienced Nine broadcaster Mark Nicholas, all-time great fast bowler Wasim Akram, and former Australian and New Zealand captains Michael Clarke and Brendon McCullum.
The four nations finishing on the most points after nine games will face off in two semi-finals, with the victors meeting in the final on the hallowed turf of Lord’s in London on Sunday, July 14.
