Australia World Cup winner Shane Watson believes that the Indian team has a similar aura to that of the Australian team in 2003 and 2007, where the team dominated the opponents through the ODI World Cup going on to win the back-to-back championship.
Australia’s 2003 victory made it the second side to win the ODI World Cup without losing a match in the tournament. The Baggy Greens won all 11 of its matches in South Africa, going undefeated. Similarly, in 2007, Ricky Ponting’s led side accomplished the feat of winning all 11 of its tournament matches.
Speaking to TOI, Shane Watson believes that the Indian team has no real weakness in the ongoing ODI World Cup comparing them with likes of the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup winning teams, and feels that the Men in Blue has got a lot of match-winners in the team. He thinks that India has a good chance of going undefeated in the tournament.
“They exude a similar aura. This team has absolutely no weakness, as was the case with the invincible Australian teams of the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. Just like that Aussie side, this team has quality world-class match-winners all around the team,” Watson said.
“Once I saw the balance of the Indian team and the form of the players after two games, this thought occurred on me. They have just been so incredibly dominant and have a great chance of going through the tournament undefeated. A team has to be at their brilliant best to challenge this Indian side,” Shane Watson added.
India, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand have been in fine form in the marquee event, producing some remarkable performances in the ongoing World Cup, making a strong case for the final four stages of the ongoing ODI World Cup.
I Will Absolutely Go With Mohammed Shami Even After Hardik Pandya Comes – Shane Watson
Shane Watson feels that Hardik Pandya offers perfect balance to the team and is hopeful of him making it into the team after recovering from the injury and heaped praise on Mohammed Shami for making the most of the opportunity in his absence and believes that he has overtaken Mohammed Siraj in the peaking order to play for the team once Hardik returns to the team.
“Yes, Pandya was lending the balancing act and hopefully he will come back. But the injury has allowed Shami to come in and bowl ridiculously well. Siraj has bowled nicely but the way Shami has bowled with the old and the new ball, I will absolutely go with Shami even after Hardik comes back. Shami’s skills make the Indian attack a bit more rounded,” Shane Watson concluded.
Mohammed Shami’s bowling in the ongoing ODI World Cup has won him a lot of accolades. In just two games, the seasoned seamer has claimed nine wickets, including a five-fer against New Zealand, and would be keen to continue his fine form going into the business end of the tournament.
