The ODI World Cup will be held in India in October-November this year. But before the start, the discussion started about the possible champion team. Hosts in India are naturally the most talked about favorites. However, in the eyes of legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram, Pakistan is a strong contender. Akram, the famous Sultan of Swing, also said why Pakistan can become the world champion.

Pakistan’s former captain and fast bowling legend Wasim Akram has predicted that Pakistan will win the 2023 ODI World Cup. He cites the excellent pace bowling attack led by Shaheen Shah Afridi as the reason behind keeping his country ahead on Indian soil. Pakistan’s pace bowling attack is going to be a great weapon for captain Babar Azam.”Our captain (Babar Azam) is a great player and we have one of the best fast bowling lineups in the world,” Akram told Sports Talk. Shaheen Afridi is in the best form at the moment. He led his team to win the PSL title for the second time in a row. He is shaping up well as an all-rounder,” he added. Akram is optimistic about not only Shaheen but also the great names in Pakistan’s fast bowling lineup – Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah or Mohammad Hasnain, and Ihsanullah, who showed surprise in PSL. He said, ‘Haris Rauf and Nasim Shah are also here. There is Mohammad Hasnain, Ihsanullah is a young fast bowler. With the World Cup being held in India, Akram believes that those who have a stronger bowling attack have a better chance of winning the World Cup. Being a batting-friendly wicket, a strong pace attack could be the deciding factor.

The legendary batsman also considers the perennial weakness of Indian batsmen against left-arm pace bowling as the reason behind Pakistan’s lead on Indian soil. He said, ‘Indian batsmen have always been a little weak against left-arm pacers. It will be difficult for left-handed bowlers to play the angle that the ball makes, especially when the ball comes inwards.’But he also feels that batsmen like Kohli, and Rohit Sharma will solve this problem and enter the field. Akram said, ‘India has some amazing top-order batsmen. Virat Kohli is there, and Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are also there. They are all among the best in the game and they will find the problem.