Virender Sehwag wants Team India to win ODI World Cup 2023 for Virat Kohli

Sachin Tendulkar; (right) India’s Virat Kohli during the third ODI against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai recently. Pic/Getty Images

It's now official that India and Pakistan will play their ICC ODI World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15. The tournament will start with defending champions England and 2019 World Cup runners-up New Zealand playing in Ahmedabad on October 5, while the final will be played at the same venue on November 19.

The semi-finals will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 15 and 16, respectively.

At the schedule launch in Mumbai on Tuesday, former India opener Virender Sehwag, who figured in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 World Cups, tipped India, Pakistan, England and Australia to be the semi-finalists, while Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning team member Muttiah Muralidaran picked India and Pakistan as favourites for the final.

Five games in Mumbai

Mumbai will host five games including the semi-final. The other four games are-England v South Africa (October 21), South Africa v Bangladesh (October 24), India v Qualifier 2 (November 2) and Australia v Afghanistan (November 7).

Former cricketers Virender Sehwag (left) and Muttiah Muralidaran with the ICC ODI World Cup trophy in Mumbai yesterday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Sehwag wants the Indian team to win the Cup for Virat Kohli just like how the MS Dhoni-led 2011 World Cup-winning team played to fulfill batting icon Sachin Tendulkar's dream.

"We played that [2011] World Cup for Tendulkar [thinking] if we win the World Cup, it would be a great exit for Sachin paaji. It's the same now with Virat Kohli. Everybody [Indian team players] will look to win the World Cup for him [Kohli]. He always gives more than 100 per cent.

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"Virat knows how the pitches will behave. I am sure he will score a lot of runs and will do his best to win the World Cup for India." Sehwag remarked.

Meanwhile, Sehwag predicted an India v Pakistan final. "Everybody wants to look forward to that India-Pakistan [league match on October 15] game; me too. I am not sure what will happen that day, but the team that will handle pressure well, will win," said Sehwag.

Disappointed Muralidaran

While stressing that subcontinental teams will enjoy the advantage of familiar conditions throughout, the legendary off-spinner expressed sadness over Sri Lanka's drop in standards which has caused them to figure in the World Cup qualifiers.