Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards believed Pakistan was a more talented squad than their place on ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 table. Richards, who scored 8,540 runs in 121 Test matches at an average of 50.23, said Pakistan could yet join India in the knockout stages.

“I can’t help thinking that with the talent they have, they should have already sealed their spot,” ICC quoted him as saying.

Richards, who scored nearly 7,000 runs in One Day Internationals, said he has seen up close in recent years through his coaching work in the Pakistan Super League how much ability exists Pakistan squad. But they have made life hard for themselves – I think they are a more talented squad than their place in the table would suggest. They can beat the very best on their day so there may be some punches left in that team, he said.

He said it was a shame for the fans in the West Indies that they have not had the opportunity to see their team in action. “I am hoping it acts as a wake-up call as it is a competition which means so much to us. The two World Cups we won in 1975 and 1979 remain the highlights of my career,” he said. Richards, who was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009, said some of the pitches have been good for run-scoring in the World Cup and we have seen so many high-class performances.

“There have been the record-breaking centuries from Aiden Markram and Glenn Maxwell, Quinton de Kock has had an amazing tournament and the young man Rachin Ravindra looks an exceptional talent,” he said.