Babar Azam’s Pakistan cricket team will be entering the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as they number two-ranked team in the ICC ODI rankings. However, former England batter Owais Shah doesn’t believe that the 1992 ODI World Cup champions will be able to reach the last four stage in the 2023 edition in India.
With ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 getting underway at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with a clash between defending champions England and New Zealand, Shah believes these two teams apart from hosts India and five-time winners Australia can make the semifinals.
“England and India will be my two favourite for the title in 2023. India at home are always strong and I believe they will make the semifinal. New Zealand could feature in the last four stage as well with Kane Williamson back as a batter and captain and I think Australia will be there too,” Shah said in an EXCLUSIVE interview to Zee News English website.
The 44-year-old batter’s picks were surprising considering the fact that Babar Azam-led Pakistan were till recently the world number one side in ODI cricket. “Pakistan have the best bowling attack but their batting is a big concern. The batting doesn’t function as team often and they are still looking at the right winning formula. They don’t have the strength in their batting,” Shah said about Pakistan’s chances in the 2023 World Cup.
Getting into my blues for the @cricketworldcup!
Come on India __, let's make it a special one. Are you ready?#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/sq6lJFAzeR
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 5, 2023
‘India will have edge over Pakistan in Ahmedabad’
The Karachi-born former England and Middlesex batter feels Rohit Sharma’s India team will have the edge over Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14. “Ahmedabad track plays quite flat and we have seen plenty of high-scoring matches there. The team with the better bowling attack will do well there. Pakistan bowling is so much better than India but their batters will struggle against Indian bowling attack,” Shah felt.
India have a 7-0 record against Pakistan when it comes to matches between the arch-rivals in the ODI World Cup. Rohit’s side hammered Pakistan by 228 runs at the Asia Cup 2023 en route to winning the title last month. Pakistan, on the other hand, failed to make the final.
‘England’s bowling line-up will be challenged’
Shah believes that it won’t be easy for England to defend their crown in India. Jos Buttler-led side have come to be identified for their aggressive style known as ‘Bazball’ especially in the longest format of the game.
But the former Rajasthan Royals batter feels that the England bowling line-up featuring the likes of Mark Wood, Reece Topley, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid will be challenged in Indian conditions.
“The England bowling line-up will be challenged. The ground in India are lightening fast and the stronger teams will bat very deep. In India, even mishits go for sixes. Apart from that the conditions itself are going to be hard – humidity and the dry heat in the north,” Shah said about England’s chances.
England and India will face off on at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on October 29. The track at Ekana Stadium played low and slow, assisting spinners, during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 matches. “India won’t mind playing on that surface against England in Lucknow. We saw how difficult it was for the batters against spinners in Lucknow. I think Indian spinners will have the edge over the likes of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid in Lucknow,” Shah said about India’s match against England.
Finally, asked about the cricketers to watch out for apart from the ‘Fab 4’ – Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Babar Azam – Shah named these young talent, including world No. 2 ODI batter Shubman Gill.
“I feel the likes of Dawid Malan, Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and India’s Shubman Gill have performed consistently over the last few years and to their credit they are coming into their own just before the World Cup. For me, they will be the ones to watch out for,” he added.
