"Kuldeep Yadav will end up being the leading wicket-taker of the tournament" - Rashid Latif's prediction for ICC World Cup 2023
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has opined that Indian spin bowler Kuldeep Yadav is likely to finish the ICC World Cup 2023 as the highest wicket-taker. The left-arm wrist spinner has claimed five wickets in three matches at an average of 23.40 in the quadrennial showpiece thus far.
Kuldeep registered two for 35 in India’s thumping seven-wicket victory against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday (October 14). He dismissed Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed in the 33rd over and was the only Indian bowler to complete his full quota of 10 overs.
Writing in his column for The Indian Express, Rashid Latif acknowledged how Pakistan's batting order wore a clueless face while facing Kuldeep Yadav in the middle. The 55-year-old cricket pundit wrote:
“Against Kuldeep, we looked timid, we were trying to just play out his ten overs. Not a single Pakistan batsman was able to pick Kuldeep (Yadav), and I think if he is not rested in a few matches, Kuldeep will end up being the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.”
Senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, whose selection in this World Cup is nothing but surprising, has only featured in the team’s opening game against Australia in Chennai. Fast bowler Shardul Thakur replaced Ashwin in the playing XI in the last two matches. Speaking on how Ashwin’s presence in the Indian bowling attack would have made a difference for Pakistan, Rashid Latif mentioned:
“I was surprised that India didn’t pick Ashwin. I feel he should play all the matches for India. If Ashwin had played I don’t think we could have even got 190 on the board.”
Rashid Latif believes Pakistan follows old ODI template
Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq started well with the bat but couldn’t convert them into massive innings. The 82-run stand between skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was the only major talking point of the Pakistani innings. The Men in Green crumbled from 155/2 to 191/10 following Babar’s dismissal in the 30th over.
Rashid Latif termed Pakistan’s batting as old-fashioned, where they don’t involve any specialist batters in its line-up.
“Pakistan’s current ODI template is old. They want to follow the old ODI template of saving wickets till 40 overs and then target the last ten. The game has changed; we are still stuck in the past. This team is not playing modern-day cricket. We don’t have specialists; there is no X factor in the playing XI,” the former Pakistan skipper mentioned.
Pakistan will next meet Australia on Friday, October 20, in Bengaluru, while India will face Asian rivals Bangladesh a day before (October 19) in Pune.