Cricket legend Viv Richards named his favourite team to lift the T20 World Cup 2024 if West Indies fail to clinch the tournament as the mega event has entered a crucial phase.
Richards, widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, recently visited the Indian cricket team’s dressing room where he told them that if West Indies failed to win the T20 World Cup, he would be rooting for them.
Richards lauded the Indian cricket team’s performance after they defeated Bangladesh in yet another one-sided match and are now in a strong position to qualify for the semi-final of the tournament.
“What can I say to a team that is already so powerful? You have a good thing going here and I can only say that if the guys in maroon don’t get it done, I will be backing you. Is that reasonable enough?” Richards said in a post-match ceremony in India vs Bangladesh.
“As a Caribbean person, really good to see what you have here,” Richards said in the video posted by the BCCI.
“[Rishabh] Pant it’s great to see you back here after what you have been through. We would have missed the great talent and what you have to offer in the future.”
“Just great to see you, and the way you are playing your cricket, love it enjoy it. Well done,” he added.
For India to qualify for the semi-finals, the scenario is pretty straightforward.
They need to beat Australia in order to qualify for the semi-finals. A loss against the Aussies would not be a big problem, provided it is not by a big margin.
India currently have a net run rate (NRR) of 2.43. If they lose big, there is a possibility that they might be knocked out before semis since Australia and Afghanistan can go through, instead of India, on NRR.