"If South Africa don't win, I want them to win" - AB de Villiers picks India as his second favourite team for 2023 World Cup
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers recently stated that he would want India to win the 2023 World Cup trophy if the Proteas fail to go all the way through.
Pointing out the reasons for India being strong favorites, de Villiers mentioned that the Men in Blue have a lot of match-winners in their lineup. He also emphasised that playing at home will also benefit Rohit Sharma and company.
Speaking to the International Cricket Council (ICC), de Villiers explained:
"They are definitely my second team. If South Africa don't win, I want them to win. They are just favourites because they've got all-round cricketers. Really, really good team. A great team. There are a lot of match-winners. They understand the conditions well, and they are playing in front of their home crowd."
"It is 2011 all over again. I can see those candles being lit up at the stadium, everyone waving their cellphones," he added.
India have had a dominant run in the 2023 World Cup so far. They are currently the only unbeaten team and are placed second in the points table with six victories from as many outings.
"There's the pressure of 'What if?'' - AB de Villiers on India's 2023 World Cup campaign
AB de Villiers further stated that while India have been on a roll in the ICC event, there is always going to be a chance of suffering a setback at the wrong time, given the unpredictable nature of the game.
The 39-year-old, however, argued that the side have a lot of things going in their favor, which make them strong favourites to win the silverware this time.
"Everything is falling into place, except for the fact that sport doesn't work like that always," de Villiers continued. "That's the flip side. There's the pressure of 'What if?'. Maybe there is an injury, or maybe we just slip on the wrong day, there are so many things that can happen in sport, and that is the beauty of the game we play."
"It is not predictable. Even though the odds look really strong on India's favour, anything can happen on the day. But yes, they are favourites. There are a lot of reasons to think they are going to win the World Cup," he added.
India take on Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2. A win in this match will take the team to the top of the standings once again.