Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers holds a strong belief that India possesses the potential to win the upcoming 2023 World Cup, slated to take place on home turf. However, de Villiers emphasizes that the key to India’s success lies in the performance of their charismatic skipper, Virat Kohli, throughout the tournament. With the World Cup commencing on October 5, this event is particularly significant as it might mark Kohli’s final appearance in an ODI World Cup.
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In the previous two editions of the ODI World Cup, India faced semi-final exits, thwarted by Australia in 2015 and New Zealand in 2019. As an intimate friend of Kohli and someone who has closely followed the Delhi-born cricketer’s journey, de Villiers underscores that India’s destiny in the 2023 World Cup hinges on Kohli’s shoulders. He asserts that whether India ends their ten-year ICC title drought or not is intrinsically linked to Kohli’s performance in this global extravaganza.
Notably, de Villiers, who has shared the dressing room with Kohli during their time with Royal Challengers Bangalore, believes that Kohli’s exceptional prowess on the field can be a decisive factor in India’s triumph. De Villiers expresses his view that if Kohli manages to replicate his standard of play in the World Cup, India’s prospects of lifting the coveted trophy on November 19 in Ahmedabad would be significantly heightened.
“India have a great chance to win the 2023 World Cup if Virat Kohli does what he does,” de Villiers asserts confidently in a YouTube Q&A session, echoing the sentiments of many cricket enthusiasts who see Kohli as a pivotal figure in India’s aspirations for World Cup glory.
In the recent West Indies tour, Kohli displayed his cricketing prowess, achieving notable scores of 76 and 121 in a concise two-match Test series. As anticipation builds, he is now preparing for the Asia Cup, a tournament scheduled to unfold in Sri Lanka and Pakistan from August 30 to September 17. Kohli’s ability to deliver consistent performances positions him as a pivotal asset for the team in the preceding matches and the upcoming tournaments.
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