The 13th edition of the ICC One-Day International World Cup will be held in India in 2023, with England serving as the defending champions. The marquee is set to begin in October of this year. BCCI will be hosting this event first time solely, the two-time champions have hosted the prestigious event in past but with its neighbouring countries.
Former Pakistani skipper and part of the squad of the 1992 WC winning side, Wasim Akram believes Men in Green will lift the 2023 ODI World Cup as it is happening in India, and they have the best bowling lineup.
Former Pakistani skipper believes team with best bowling lineup will win ODI WC 2023-
“Our captain is a great player and we have one of the best fast-bowling lineups in the world. Shaheen Afridi is currently in prime form. He has led his team to victory in the PSL for the second time. He is developing pretty well as an all-rounder,” said Akrma to Sports Tak.
Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars won the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023, while Babar Azam was the second-highest run-getter in the PSL 8. While Afridi scored 133 runs and picked 19 wickets in 12 games it played this season.
“Then there is Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah. (Mohammad) Hasnain is there, Ihsanullah is an exciting young fast bowler,” he added.
“I think because the World Cup is happening in India, it is the team with the stronger bowling attack that will succeed because the pitches tend to be batter friendly,” he further added.
While, in the last ODI WC in India in 2011, Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan reached the Semifinals, and was knocked out of the tournament after getting beaten by the winner of that edition. Apart from this Men in Green in the 2022 T20 WC in Australia were the runner-ups.
“It is the angle that makes it difficult and especially when ball the comes in. At the same time India have some great top-order player. Be it, Virat Kohli, be it, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, all of them are greats of the game and they will figure out the problems,” he further added.
Australian left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc has been devastating in the ongoing ODI series against Asian Ginats, he has picked 8 wickets in two matches, and in both games took wickets of at least the top four batters in the playing XI. The series is levelled on 1-1 at the moment.
Now, for the decider ODI match at Chennai, Rohit Sharma-led side will take on the Aussies on March 24.