Former England captain Eoin Morgan has picked India as the favourites for the 2023 World Cup, which will be held in India from October 5 to November 19. Morgan, who led England to their maiden World Cup title in 2019, said that India have a great squad and a big home advantage with packed stadiums.
Morgan in an interview with WION, talked about the upcoming World Cup. He said that England, Australia and Pakistan are the other teams that can challenge India for the trophy.
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“India are an excellent cricket team that I believe will be favourites going into the World Cup. They have a great squad to challenge and will have a great home advantage with packed stadiums. The enthusiasm and passion displayed by Indian fans are unparalleled, which makes this special. The team has formidable skills, and can, indeed, be strong contenders in the upcoming World Cup,” Morgan said.
Morgan also praised India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the T20 World Cup in 2022 due to injury. He said that Bumrah’s return will boost India’s bowling department, which is already strong with the likes of Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur.
“Bumrah is one of the best bowlers in the world, and his comeback will be crucial for India. He has the ability to swing the ball both ways, bowl yorkers at will and vary his pace intelligently. He is a match-winner and a threat to any batting line-up,” Morgan said.
England 2nd favourites: Morgan
Morgan also backed England to be the second favourites for the World Cup, as they have a great squad and are the defending champions. He said that England will hope for Jofra Archer’s return, who also missed the T20 World Cup due to injury. He said that Archer is a key player for England, as he can bowl fast and take wickets in any conditions.
“England have a very balanced and experienced squad, and they know how to win big tournaments. They have a lot of depth and power-hitting in their batting, and a versatile bowling attack. Archer is a vital cog in their wheel, as he can bowl at 150 kmph and trouble any batsman. He is also very good at the death overs, which is crucial in limited-overs cricket,” Morgan said.
Morgan also named Australia and Pakistan as two very strong teams that can lift the trophy. He said that both teams have a lot of talent and experience, and can adapt well to different situations.
“Australia and Pakistan are two very very strong teams, and two contenders when it comes to big competitions. They have a lot of talent to work with. Playing cricket in India, particularly the 50-over format, you need to have all bases covered, and I would say those teams do,” Morgan said.
The 2023 World Cup will feature 10 teams. The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, followed by the final on November 19.
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