England would be eager to defend their championship at
the ODI World Cup in 2023, having won it by the thinnest of margins in 2019.
Stuart Broad, who is not a member of England’s World Cup team, believes that
his country’s team has what it takes to compete throughout the competition.
However, that group or Rohit Sharma’s Indian team is probably the one he fears
the most. Broad acknowledged that it would be very difficult to stop India if
they brought their best game to the table.
“If England manage to retain their World Cup
title, it will be a phenomenal effort but my overriding feeling is that if
India play their perfect tournament, they are going to be very difficult to
stop. Jos Buttler certainly has the team to challenge, one with the ability to
post high totals, but I just think India, as hosts and the top-ranked ODI side,
will be a hugely difficult proposition,” Broad wrote in a column on Daily
Mail.
“Contrast to England. Without sounding like I am
giving them excuses, they have got a pretty tough draw, to be honest. They do
not play two games in the same location, instead travelling from city to city.
Others have the luxury of being able to book in somewhere for a week and play
two games. They do not,” the former England pacer further said.
“As for the other semi-finalists? Pakistan will
be a threat. Their bowling is full of natural wicket-takers and is their huge
strength. In players like Babar Azam they have some high quality batters but
Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi can blow opponents away,” the
37-year-old further said.
“I’d then probably say New Zealand over
Australia. Why? Because, New Zealand are the ultimate tournament team. Put
their team sheets next to each other and you’d always lean towards the Aussies
with Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, but New Zealand
just find a way,” Broad concluded.