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Pointing out Team India\u2019s poor record in pressure games in recent times, former Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has opined that the Men in Blue will have a point to prove in this year\u2019s ODI World Cup.<\/p>\n
The 50-over World Cup is scheduled to be played in India later this year and the hosts would definitely begin the competition as favourites. India\u2019s performance in recent ICC tournaments have not really been up to the mark. While they have done well to regularly qualify for the semifinals and finals in big competitions, they have struggled in the big games.<\/p>\n
India have not won a World Cup in any format since 2011 while their last ICC trophy came in 2013. Since then, they have lost the final of 2014 T20 World Cup, semifinal of 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup, semifinal of 2016 and 2022 T20 World Cup as well as the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy.<\/p>\n India will be desperate to end their trophy drought this year by winning the World Cup and Mohammad Hafeez believes they will also have a point to prove. The former Pakistan allrounder stated that India are hot favourites to win the 2023 World Cup at home before saying that they will have to find ways to perform to their potential in knockout matches.<\/p>\n \u201cHot favourites are India. India have a big plus point because in the recent past, I feel like it started from the era of Ganguly. They have the mindset of a world-beater. From there, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli carried on. In the recent past, say in the last 10-12 years, wherever India are playing, they are considered as hot favourites. That is special from India,\u201d<\/strong> Mohammad Hafeez told Sports Tak.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when the tournaments happen in India, when big matches happen in India, in bilateral series, oppositions have very little chance. Their success rate is very high. But, when big tournaments come, I think India are lacking in just one aspect. In the recent past, in ICC events, they are not able to perform in the big matches.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cYou can describe it many ways, but the pressure of playing in knockout matches in ICC events, that is not there in bilateral series. It\u2019s quite similar to playing domestic cricket and international cricket. It\u2019s difficult to describe the pressure of playing in ICC knockout matches. India have not been able to handle that pressure in major events.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThey have lost crunch matches, against England they lost the semi-final. In 2017, in the Champions Trophy final, they lost. Then also, they were favourites. This is a pinching point as far as India are concerned. India now have a point to prove to the world. They should come and perform well in ICC major events,\u201d<\/strong> he added.<\/p>\n Also Read:\u00a0IND vs AUS 2023: Dinesh Karthik Urges India To Drop Axar Patel For Third ODI<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nMohammad Hafeez:<\/h3>\n