It’s India all the way

Indian players celebrate the wicket of NZ’s Devon Conway. PIC/PTI

We are just past the halfway stage of the league phase and India are doing everything they need to achieve their goal of winning the World Cup on home soil for a second time. They look to be a very polished, professional team in all departments except fielding in the game in Dharamsala against New Zealand, where they put down a couple of catches and there were a few misfields. It was a bit untidy, that's an area for them to improve on, but I think it will need a superhuman effort to take them down. They still have to play England, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Netherlands, and it looks to me as if South Africa are the only threat to them in the tournament.

Also Read: All set for power play

Best-ever World Cup team

If there is a team that can go undefeated through the tournament, it is this Indian side. I think this is the best-ever Indian World Cup team, based on the skillsets. There is a great depth of talent and some very good players waiting in the wings to get their opportunity. It's a shame that Hardik Pandya is unavailable at the moment with an ankle strain. He is a very talented all-rounder, a key player, and India will need him when it comes to the crunch. He is a quality medium-pacer, a dynamic batsman and a great finisher. I like his attitude; he has strong body language and presence on the field and he makes things happen. He adds to the balance, he is very athletic and is always in the game.

My semi-finalists as things stand are India, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand have a hard run-in home with matches against Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and an improving Sri Lanka. They need to win two of those to guarantee a place in the semis. Australia have got their game together and are a real threat. The top and middle order is functioning well, they have a very good pace attack and Adam Zampa, the leg-spinner who seemed down on confidence early on, is excelling at the moment. From a New Zealand point of view, I hope they avoid India in the semis but I am picking India to win a third World Cup.

Shocking crusade

As for England, the defending champions have had an absolutely shocking campaign. Their positive and bullish batting approach hasn't worked in the subcontinent and I am sure a lot of questions will be asked about that.

Chivach Sports