Former England Pacer Stuart Broad has stated his belief that India, as the host nation, is the top contender to win the ODI World Cup 2023 on their home soil. He thinks that England’s chances of retaining the title are slim due to a difficult draw and a demanding travel schedule during the tournament.
The team led by Rohit Sharma will enter the competition with great momentum. They have secured victories in the Asia Cup 2023 and a bilateral series against Australia. The Men in Blue will be one of the favourites to win the championship, as they have almost met all the requirements needed to win the event.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Stuart Broad has expressed his belief that if India performs at their full potential in the tournament, they will be a tough team to beat. He also thinks that it will be a challenge for England, who are a well-established team, to stop the top-ranked Indian side in the event.
“If England manages to retain their World Cup title, it will be a phenomenal effort, but my overriding feeling is that if India plays their perfect tournament, they are going to be very difficult to stop.
“Jos Buttler certainly has the team to challenge, one with the ability to post high totals, but I just think India, as hosts and the top-ranked ODI side, will be a hugely difficult proposition to get past,” Broad stated.
England has a well-settled unit heading into the ODI World Cup in India. They would determined to perform at their best in the Indian conditions. The defending champions have players like Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, and Moeen Ali in their lineup. These players possess a considerable amount of experience playing in Indian conditions over the years.
Recent History Shows You That Home Teams Tend To Prosper In 50-over World Cups – Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad believes that India, being the home team, will have an evident advantage going into the 2023 ODI World Cup. He pointed out that host nations have won the marquee events in the last three editions, which may work in India’s favour, and feels that Jasprit Bumrah would be key to the team’s success in the World Cup.
“Recent history shows you that home teams tend to prosper in 50-over World Cups: it was in India in 2011, and India won; the final was in Australia in 2015, Australia won the trophy; England won in 2019.
So, on that basis alone, India would have to be a huge favorites. Then take into account that they’re playing pretty decent cricket, and their key fast bowling star Jasprit Bumrah is coming back to full fitness,” Stuart Broad added.
It’s worth noting that home teams have won the World Cup since the 2011 edition. India won the World Cup in 2011 as hosts, while Australia tasted glory in 2015 while hosting the tournament. Then, in 2019, England continued the trend and won their first ODI World Cup tournament at home.
