Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram has given a major warning to the hosts before the World Cup 2023. He stated the disadvantages of playing a major tournament on home soil.
As the much-awaited ODI World Cup 2023 approaches, the Indian cricket team is determined to end their decade-long ICC trophy drought. Their last triumph was in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Since then, they have been striving to lift another prestigious trophy.
In the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, India displayed remarkable cricket but faced heartbreaking defeats in the semifinals, putting an end to their campaign on a disappointing note. This time, with captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid leading the charge, the team aims to overcome past setbacks and achieve new heights. Playing on home turf provides a significant advantage, but it also comes with added pressure, as highlighted by Wasim Akram.
Among the exciting matchups of the upcoming tournament, the clash between India and Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium stands out as a highly anticipated World Cup encounter. Wasim Akram believes that India’s bowling lineup has the potential to match Pakistan’s star-studded bowlers. However, he also cautions that being the host nation brings its own challenges.
“Of course… India have Mohammed Shami, who is very impressive and is bowling like a dream, but Bumrah needs to remain fit. I don’t know what his situation is in terms of fitness but if he is fine, it will make a huge difference. Besides, they have really good spinners and all-rounders – Jadeja, Ashwin – let’s see who plays.”
“There have been some really good players coming from India but there are certain disadvantages of home ground. In 2011, India won but there is always an extra added pressure. Same with Pakistan. If they were the hosts, the pressure would be on them. Vice-versa,”
Furthermore, Akram also pointed out how venues should be the least of their concerns. Sharing his thoughts on the drama surrounding the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request for a change of venue for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, Akram said:
“See, I said this earlier as well. If I am asked to play on a certain date and at a certain venue, I have to play. Be it Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, or Mumbai… this does not affect players. So just play and don’t worry about it.”
Wasim Akram was part of the Pakistan World Cup winning team in 1992 and he won the Player of the Match award in the final.
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