Team India & South Africa to play ICC World Cup 2023 Final predicts Irfan Pathan: The prediction game has begun as we draw closer to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 proceedings. The anticipation for the quadrennial event, to be held in India, is growing each time the sun touches the horizon every evening. Cricket enthusiasts and pundits have already marked their dates, as we inch closer to the World Cup 2023 opening ceremony on October 5 in Ahmedabad.
To add to the excitement, the teams have begun to arrive in India for the World Cup 2023. Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Africa, and the Netherlands have already landed on Indian soil and more teams will arrive in due course.
The curtain-raiser match of the ICC World Cup 2023 is set to be held between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The final game of the tournament is also set to be held in Ahmedabad on November 19.
As we head forward, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has joined forces with the bandwagon of experts who have put forth their bold predictions for the ICC World Cup 2023. Pathan, in a recent interview with Star Sports, shared his prediction as to which two teams would march ahead to play the tournament’s final in Ahmedabad.
The former left-arm pacer said England have shown promising signs and are a tough contender, especially, with their all-rounder’s abilities to swing the game, however, he is more inclined towards South Africa, who recently defeated Australia in the five-match series after consecutively losing the first two games of the series. As his first pick for the finalist’s spot, Pathan went on with the home side, India.
“On logic, you can’t drop England from the finalists’ spot because they have a very strong team. For me, it’s India and South Africa,” said Irfan Pathan.
“South Africa has a great chance to do well in this World Cup because they have arrived here with a strong team and good form, but India will definitely win this Word Cup because they are at their best form right now and also like Waqar Younis told how they played in the Asia Cup, and according to me, they have also ticked all the boxes at the right time,” Irfan added.
Notably, the recent trend shows the hosts are more likely to win the ICC World Cups, as happened in 2011, 2015, and 2019. In 2011, India hosted the ICC World Cup and won it, in 2015, Australia hosted it and won and recently England hosted the showpiece event in 2019 and were crowned champions.
It remains to be seen if India can hold onto the trend and become the World Cup champions after a decade-long wait. India last won the ODI World Cup in 2011 under the able leadership of MS Dhoni. The Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka in the epic final held at the Wankhede Stadium to lift the coveted title after 28 years.
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