Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes that Pakistan’s strong bowling unit makes Babar Azam‘s team the favorites to lift the World Cup 2023, to be hosted by Ind in October-November.
While for many, India, the hosts, will start the tournament as the strongest contender – they won it the last time they hosted an ODI World Cup, in 2011 – the Pakistani fast bowling legend Wasim Akram reckons Babar Azam is a “great” batsman and will have one of the strongest fast bowling attacks in the world.
“Our captain is a great player and we have one of the best fast-bowling lineups in the world,” Wasim Akram said on Sports Tak.
The legendary left-arm fast bowler heaped praise on Pakistan’s current left-arm fast bowling sensation, Shaheen Shah Afridi, who recently captained Lahore Qalandars to back-to-back PSL titles with Shaheen also impressing with his hitting abilities.
“Shaheen Afridi is currently in prime form. He has led his team to victory in the PSL for the second time. He is developing pretty well as an all-rounder,” Akram said.
“Then there is Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah. (Mohammad) Hasnain is there, Ihsanullah is an exciting young fast bowler.
“I think because the World Cup is happening there, it is the team with the stronger bowling attack that will succeed because the pitches tend to be batter friendly,” he said.
Fans dream of an Ind-Pak final in World Cup 2023
Speaking about the Indian batters’ struggles against left-arm fast bowlers – whether it is Boult, Shaheen, Topley, McCoy, or Starc very recently – Former Pakistani Speedster said: “It is the angle that makes it difficult and especially when ball the comes in.”
He added: “At the same time they have some great top-order player. Be it, Virat Kohli, be it, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, all of them are greats of the game and they will figure out the problems.”
“Let’s give credit to Mitchell Starc. He bowled brilliantly and the pitch was also very lively. And the way the ball was seaming around at one point I thought I am seeing a match in Australia or New Zealand,” Akram said
World Cup Hosts are currently fretting over the fitness of two of their main players – Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
While Pant is all but confirmed to be ruled out of the WC 2023, Bumrah recently underwent back surgery and is expected to staet bowling by August.
