AHMEDABAD: After witnessing quite a few delays, schedule adjustments and ticketing points, the 2023 ODI World Cup – one that may resolve the way forward for the One-Day format and perhaps even the destiny of future ODI World Cups – has lastly arrived. The prelude to the 13th version of the mega match noticed a heat, light-hearted, at instances severe interplay on the ‘Captains’ Day’ occasion on Wednesday on the Narendra Modi Stadium right here.
“Babar, biryani kaisa tha (how was the biryani?),” former India allrounder-turned commentator Ravi Shastri requested Pakistan captain Babar Azam. “I’ve already mentioned this 100 instances. It was fairly good. I heard that the biryani in Hyderabad is sweet. So, I ate it and favored it,” replied Babar, leaving everybody in splits.
Later, batting for Pakistan’s followers to be given visas for the World Cup, Babar mentioned, “It will have been higher if we had followers from our facet. We’ll attempt to get such assist in each match, throughout stadiums.”
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Requested if going into this World Cup because the chief of reigning champions in ODI and T20 cricket places some ‘warmth’ on him, England captain Jos Buttler shortly dismissed all discuss stress. “I do not see us as defending champions. We’re very a lot in the identical boat now as everyone sat right here on the eve of the match attempting to win it,” Buttler asserted.
Curiously this time, there would not appear to be a lot pleasure across the World Cup among the many followers – there are hardly any World Cup signboards even outdoors the grand stadium right here. India skipper Rohit Sharma, although, claimed that India’s cricket followers cannot look ahead to the occasion to kick off. “Everybody’s fairly excited. Even earlier than we acquired into the warm-up video games, like a month again, each time we had been travelling in India the discuss was concerning the World Cup. It is taking place after 12 years in India. So, extra purpose for folks to be excited,” mentioned the Indian captain.
With India having simply performed a three-match ODI collection in opposition to Australia lately, Rohit wasn’t too perturbed about each his group’s warm-up video games, in Guwahati and Trivandrum being washed out fully. “We had been comfortable to get these days off. We have been taking part in lots of cricket of late. We will not actually do an excessive amount of with the climate. Aside from travelling from one half to a different a part of India, there may be nothing a lot we may have performed,” Rohit mentioned.
It is clear that New Zealand captain Kane Williamson – the one skipper who has survived from the 2019 World Cup – has moved on from that heart-breaking remaining at Lord’s 4 years in the past.
“I imply, 2019 was wonderful. As a facet, there have been lots of fond reminiscences and we had an enormous quantity of enjoyable as effectively and we’re wanting ahead to what this one brings,” Williamson mentioned.
In an period of profitable T20 leagues, is the 50-over World Cup nonetheless the top occasion of cricket, you marvel. The Kiwi captain’s reply was reassuring. “I nonetheless suppose the ODI World Cup is among the prime occasions that we will play and be concerned in,” Williamson mentioned.
