Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi raised eyebrows with a daring prediction about the outcome of the ODI World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia, which is underway at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19, Sunday. Afridi expressed his belief that the Indian team, led by captain Rohit Sharma, could potentially succumb to defeat due to their over confidence. Former star all-rounder's remarks surfaced during a live show on Samaa TV, where he was prompted to address the pressure that would undoubtedly weigh heavily on the Indian players as they stepped onto the field before a packed Ahmedabad Stadium.
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“There’s nothing about pressure on India players because they are grown up playing between such huge crowds. They are confident players and international cricket is all about handling pressure. Indian players are aware of it. But when you win continuously, you tend to get overconfident, which kills you," Afridi said.
“It was a big opportunity for Shubman Gill, he played the wrong shot as it wasn’t that delivery to get out. In big finals, where the pressure is high and the Stadium is packed, you’ll get to see big match players yourself who are mentally and physically strong,” he added.
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Batting first, Rohit Sharma gave India a stunning start with solid 47-run knock. However, the early dismissal of Shubman Gill (4) cast a shadow of doubt over India's batting aspirations. The setback was further compounded when Sharma himself departed in the 10th over, leaving India's middle order with the daunting task of salvaging the innings. Wickets kept falling but Virat Kohli's 54 (63) and KL Rahul's 66 (107) steady knocks allowed India to cruise towards 240.
India's Playing XI
Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
Australia's Playing XI
Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis(w), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins(c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
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