Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has picked up his choice of potential four semifinalists for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 later this year. The marquee event is scheduled to be hosted by India from 5 October to 19 November 2023 and the teams will look to put their best foot forward to win the championship in the Indian soil.
With the ODI World Cup scheduled to start in two months, many former cricketers have picked their teams that can go on to win the championship in India. Ten teams will participate in the tournament including defending champions England and heavyweights India, Pakistan, and Australia.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag has picked his choice of four teams who have the potential to make it into the last four stages of the marquee event in India.
He picked Australia, India, England, and Pakistan as the four teams, who can make it final four of the mega event and believes that Australia and England are the two teams who have a great chance of doing well on Indian soil, as they have shown the calibre to do well in the Sub-continental condition.
“If I have to pick four teams – Australia, England, India and Pakistan. These are the semi-finalists. Australia and England will surely be there because of the kind of cricket they are playing – they don’t play conventional shots, only unconventional – these 2 teams are pretty good at it.
“Also, England and Australia are the two away teams who can play better cricketers in the sub-continent,” Virender Sehwag said.
All eyes will be on the Indian team as players and fans will be desperate expecting the team to finally end their long wait for an ICC title.
The Men in Blue have failed to do well in ICC competitions in recent times including their failure in the 2023 WTC final and have not won a global tournament since winning the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
England will be visiting India to defend their trophy of the World Cup later this year in India. English side clinched their first-ever ICC Cricket World Cup trophy by the finest of margins against New Zealand on their home soil in 2019 in the most dramatic final in World Cup history and will look to defend the title on Indian soil.
Pakistan will start as one of the favourites to lift the ODI World Cup, as they have got a formidable team, to do well in the sub continent. The Men in Green will fancy their chances of coming into the marquee event in India, as they have got enough resources in the team to win the championship in India.
Australia is one of the most successful teams in the 50-over World Cup winning five championship titles including the 2015 championship in their home soil.
The Pat Cummins-led side has got experienced players in their side, who has ample amount of experience playing in Indian conditions and they will look to do well in the mega event later this year.