New Delhi: Host England and Team India have been touted as favourites to go the distance in the 2019 edition of the World Cup in England and Wales. But Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is keen to remind all that cricket is a game that is played on the field and not on paper.
Shakib said that while there is no doubt that Eoin Morgan and Virat Kohli’s men are ruling world cricket at the moment in the 50-over format, the favourite tag alone doesn’t win any team the coveted title in the 50-over World Cup.
“India and England are obviously favourites, but that doesn’t get you the crown. You need to do the hard yards to win a tournament like the World Cup. Australia has been doing well recently and West Indies has peaked at the right time. To be honest, all the teams look like they are ready for a fight.
Depends who on that day does well,” he pointed out.
Personally, Shakib got the perfect boost going into the showpiece event as he overtook Afghanistan star Rashid Khan as the No.1 all-rounder in ODIs. But for the star Bangladesh player, he wants the trophy that ultimately decides who the boss is.