Graeme Smith

With less than 20 days to the big event, the South African captain has endorsed to the view that the home team are clear favorites to win the World Cup.  Looking ahead to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, he admitted the three hosts will be the teams to beat this time around.

“I think the home teams will be right up there when it comes to the ICC Cricket World Cup. I think in the sub-continent conditions they’ll be very crafty knowing how to read conditions while other teams need to find ways to be successful there. I think for us we need to versatile, I think India will come in as favorites but personally I think there are five or six teams that could win this World Cup which is probably going to make it a very exciting one,” said Smith in the press interview recently.

The 40-year-old former Australian left-hander Micheal Bevan also believes that the Indian skipper MS Dhoni and his boys have it in them to win the world cup. “India is performing as a team, as a unit. One would have to say that they have come up great as a team. There is so much potential in these boys. They are the number one Test side in the world, second in One-Day Internationals. India have got the capacity to lead world cricket for a long time,” said.

Meanwhile, VVS Laxman has quoted that India could repeat the 1983 feat with this kind of a team. VVS Laxman is not a part of the ODI side since 2006 and is now considered as a test specialist. He also added that he didn’t want to exert undue pressure on the team quoting them as favourites to win the World Cup. The pressure and the towering expectations from the fans will be a factor for the team to handle, the veteran believes.

“There will be pressure but they are professional players and they know how to handle pressure. There is positive energy in the team and that is very important. Gambhir and Sehwag have been very important players for India. They have been doing well and they will have a huge role to play in the World Cup after coming back from the injury,” said Laxman. While Sehwag is nursing a shoulder injury, Gambhir is recovering from an elbow injury. Both the players are expected to be fully fit before the high-profile event gets underway.

Tags: Captain, Cricket, Graeme Smith, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India, South Africa, World Cup