"There will be two teams from the subcontinent" - Virender Sehwag backs India and Pakistan to qualify for World Cup 2023 semi-finals
Former cricketer Virender Sehwag believes that both India and Pakistan are likely to finish in the top four of the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023.
Sehwag opined that with the ICC event taking place in India, there will be at least two teams from the subcontinent who will qualify for the semi-finals. He named Australia and England as his other two picks.
The cricketer-turned-commentator made these remarks in a video shared by Cricbuzz on YouTube. He said (2:30):
"I think there will be two teams from the subcontinent in the top four. India and Pakistan are my picks. The other two will be Australia and England. England have played brilliantly in ODIs in recent years. If the World Cup wasn't in India, I would have picked only one team from the subcontinent."
During the same discussion, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik also picked the same top four as Sehwag. He opined that India and England appear to be the favorites to take home the silverware this time, stating (3:30):
"India and England are the best placed to win the competition. They have a great chance to meet each other. The remaining two teams will be Australia and Pakistan."
The World Cup 2023 is set to begin on Thursday, October 5, with last edition's finalists, England and New Zealand, squaring off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
"We won in 2011 for Sachin Tendulkar, and I think we should win this World Cup for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli" - Virender Sehwag
Speaking in the same video (7:07), Virender Sehwag also mentioned that India have a strong lineup that has the potential to win the World Cup.
He pointed out how the Men in Blue won the coveted trophy for Sachin Tendulkar in 2011 and suggested that the current team should do the same for senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He added:
"India have the firepower to win the World Cup. The team combination is fantastic, with all the boxes checked. If India fail to win the World Cup now, what will happen in the next edition where the senior players won't be there? We won in 2011 for Sachin Tendulkar, and I think we should win this World Cup for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli."
Rohit Sharma and company will take on Australia in their first World Cup 2023 fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.