Page 38 - The Indian EYE 071423
P. 38

SPORTS                                                                    JULY 14, 2023  |   The Indian Eye 38



                                                         ODI WORLD CUP 2023



         Virat Kohli recalls fond memories of 2011



           final; Akram upbeat about Pak’s chances






        OUR BUREAU                                                                                            ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman will be
                                                                                                              among the key batters, while Pakistan
        Mumbai
                                                                                                              can turn to a pace attack that includes
              he ‘Chasemaster’ and former                                                                     Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Na-
              India captain Virat Kohli ex-                                                                   seem Shah.
        Tpressed his delight over the                                                                             All the ingredients are there for
        ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023                                                                          Pakistan to be among the favourites
        schedule and picked the venue he is                                                                   to claim a second World Cup title
        most excited to play during the World                                                                 this year and Wasim expects the con-
        Cup at home.                                                                                          ditions that teams will face in India
            ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023                                                                      during the tournament will also fa-
        schedule was unveiled on Tuesday at a                                                                 vour his former side.
        gathering in Mumbai. The World Cup                                                                        “We have a good side...a very
        kicks off on October 5 with a repeat                                                                  good one-day side and are led by one
        of the 2019 final as England takes on                                                                 of the modern-day greats in Babar
        New Zealand at the Narendra Modi                                                                      Azam,” Wasim Akram told the ICC.
        Stadium in Ahmedabad. Hosts India                                                                         “As  long  as  they  are  fit  and  as
        will begin their campaign on October                                                                  long as  they  play  according  to  the
        8 against five-time World Cup cham-                                                                   plan, they will have a chance of doing
        pions Australia in Chennai.                                                                           well in that World Cup because it is
            For  the  first  time,  India  will  be                                                           played in our type of conditions in In-
        the sole host nation for a 50-over                                                                    dia on the sub-continent,” the former
        World Cup. They previously shared                                                                     Pakistan captain said.
        hosting duties with countries from                                                                        Pakistan  won  five  of  their  nine
        the subcontinent such as Pakistan, Sri                                                                matches at the most recent edition of
        Lanka, and Bangladesh in 1987, 1996,                                                                  the 50-over World Cup, but narrow-
        and 2011.                                                                                             ly missed out on qualifying for the
            The 2011 World Cup champion                                                                       semi-finals of the 2019 event due to
        Kohli also named his favourite loca-                                                                  inferior net run rate.
        tion he is most excited to play during                                                                    Their form since that tournament
        the World Cup at home. The former                                                                     has been excellent, with Babar’s side
        India captain stated he will feel the                                                                 having lost just nine 50-over contests
        same way about the Wankhede as he                                                                     since then to currently be ranked sec-
        would about any other World Cup                                                                       ond on the ODI team rankings.
        venue.                                                                                                    Babar has been a model of con-
            “Personally, I’m looking forward                                                                  sistency during that strong run, with
        to playing in Mumbai in this World                                                                    the right-hander having scored eight
        Cup. It’ll be great to experience that                                                                of his 18 ODI centuries since the 2019
        atmosphere again. I can understand   be,” Kohli added.              their best players can remain fit and   tournament to maintain his strangle-
        what they went through and how spe-   The much-awaited encounter    in form. Pakistan is led by the No.1-  hold on the premier position in the
        cial it is to play home World Cup and   between India and Pakistan will take   ranked ODI batter in Babar Azam   ODI batter rankings.
        how excited people are going to be,”   place at the Narendra Modi Stadium   and have an experienced group of   Wasim is a massive fan of Babar
        Virat Kohli told ICC.             in Ahmedabad on Sunday, October 15   players to support him.        and would not be surprised to see the
            Kohli reminisced about the 2011   and will be the eighth meeting between   ICC on Tuesday announced the   inspirational Pakistan skipper raise
        World  Cup  final,  which  India  won   the two sides at a men’s World Cup.  schedule of the One Day interna-  his game even further during the
        by a margin of six wickets against Sri   Meanwhile,  Pakistan  great  tional (ODI) of the World Cup, with   World Cup.
        Lanka at Mumbai’s venerable Wank-  Wasim Akram believes his former   the first match to be played between   “I think he can (get better) as he
        hede Stadium. Before being taken out   side has enough quality in their ranks   England and New Zealand at the   is  the  best  player  we  have,”  Wasim
        by a spectacular catch by Tilakaratne   to be a major player at this year’s ICC   Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat’s   noted.
        Dilshan, Kohli had hit four fours in 35   Men’s Cricket World Cup.  Ahmedabad on October 5.               “The whole country follows him,
        off 49 balls.                         Wasim was part of the famous      India and Pakistan will square off   everything he does. He gets people
            “I was quite young then. I saw   team  that  helped Pakistan  claim   at the same venue on October 15, the   into the stadium and it doesn’t mat-
        what it meant to the seniors. I can un-  their only World Cup title at the Mel-  ICC announced.       ter whether it is T20, one-dayers or
        derstand what they went through and   bourne  Cricket  Ground  (MCG)  in   The  final  will  also  be  played  at   Test cricket and, in my opinion, he
        how special it is to play a home world   1992, and the legendary pacer thinks   the same venue.       has the most beautiful cover drive in
        cup and how excited they are going to   a  second trophy can  be clinched if   Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-  the world.”


                                                               www.TheIndianEYE.com
   33   34   35   36   37   38   39