My Heart Wants To Say South Africa And India, But I Am Kind Of Leaning Towards India And England As The Finalists Of This World Cup: Dale Steyn

My heart wants to say South Africa and India, but I am kind of leaning towards India and England as (Image Source: IANS)

Legendary South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn said his heart wants South Africa and India as finalists for this year’s 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup. But at the same time, his inclination is towards India and defending champions England being the finalists of the showpiece event at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19.

South Africa will open their 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup campaign against 1996 champions Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 7.Hosts India, the 1983 and 2011 champions, will open its campaign against five-time champions Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium inChennai.

“It’s a tough one, you know my heart wants to go with South Africa making the final. I would love them to make the final, their team, a lot of their players play in the IPL, they play in India regularly. They got some guys like in David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen who really started to figure out those conditions and bat well there.”

“Then, there is KG Rabada who is being bowling there for ages and a lot of their other senior players have played a lot of cricket there. So I feel like they have got the ability to go on and get to the finals with getting those players. But I am not just too sure and I kind of have to go with Waqar.”

“Yeah, I feel like the favorites would probably be India, I feel like India is going to be one of the finalists and probably England. But my heart wants to say South Africa and India but I am kind of leaning towards India and England,” said Steyn to Star Sports.

Irfan Pathan, the former India pacer, too agreed with Steyn’s opinion on the finalists of this year’s World Cup. “See, on logic you can’t drop England from the finalists spot because they have a very strong team, and the way they are playing cricket with their all- rounders like at number 9, they have an all-rounder batsmen like Chris Woakes, so I know that but I have a hunch in my heart which says that South Africa will do great in this World Cup.”

“So, for me it’s India and South Africa. See, 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 right time.”