Former Indian pace bowler and part of the victorious 2011 World Cup squad, S Sreesanth, has shared his insights about the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Sreesanth believes that the dynamic all-rounder Hardik Pandya or the talented left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav could be strong contenders for the prestigious Player of the Tournament award in the tournament.
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023: India’s Grand Stage
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the 13th edition of the renowned 50-over tournament, is set to take place in India from October 5 to November 19. Unlike previous editions, India will host this World Cup as the sole host nation, having co-hosted the tournament in 1987, 1996, and 2011.
Ten teams from around the world will participate in this cricketing extravaganza. Matches will be held across 12 venues in India, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Mumbai, Pune, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram, with the latter two hosting warm-up matches.
With the last few editions of the World Cup being clinched by the home teams, there will be immense pressure on Rohit Sharma’s Indian side to continue this tradition and secure the ICC title. India’s last ICC title came in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni, while their last ODI World Cup victory was in 2011, also under Dhoni’s captaincy.
Hardik Pandya: A Strong Contender
S Sreesanth drew a parallel between the legendary Yuvraj Singh’s sensational all-round performance in the 2011 World Cup, which earned him the Player of the Tournament award, and the potential impact of Hardik Pandya in the upcoming event. Sreesanth believes that Hardik Pandya, with his dynamic all-round skills, could emerge as a strong contender for this coveted award.
Sreesanth also mentioned the star spinner Kuldeep Yadav as another top contender for the Player of the Tournament award. He pointed out that Kuldeep has the potential to break records with his exceptional bowling performances in the World Cup.
“Don’t forget Hardik’s fastest hundred. Don’t forget Bumrah’s two five-wicket hauls. Kuldeep Yadav will bowl the best spell ever seen by an Indian spinner,” Sreesanth commented.
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Sreesanth’s Bold World Cup Final Prediction
In a bold prediction, S Sreesanth envisages the final showdown of the upcoming World Cup between India and New Zealand. He is confident that the Indian team will avenge their 2019 World Cup disappointment and dominate their opponents, similar to their remarkable 50-all-out victory against Sri Lanka.
Sreesanth expressed his optimism by stating, “I feel it will be India and New Zealand in the final. We will take revenge for the 2019 World Cup and hopefully do something similar to the 50-all-out against Sri Lanka. I am pretty positive, and as Indian fans, everyone should think about India winning.”