“I have seen his massive growth. [He is a] highly determined individual. He is my man,” said Viv Richards.
With the ODI World Cup fast approaching, the predictions have started coming from the cricket fraternity.
If we shift our focus to individuals, a host of superstars will be seen in action in the showpiece event, which will be played in India during October-November.
And sharing his thoughts on the same former West Indies captain Viv Richards has predicted Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi to emerge as the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, also justifying his pick.
“The leading wicket-taker in the World Cup will be Shaheen Afridi because I have seen him in Pakistan. I spent some time in the PSL and I have seen his massive growth. [He is a] highly determined individual. He is my man,” said Richards in a video shared on ICC’s official Instagram handle.
He was also part of the recently concluded three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which the former won 3-0. Shaheen had finished as the leading wicket-taker, picking six wickets in three matches at an average of 16.33.
Meanwhile, Before the commencement of the ODI World Cup 2023, cricket enthusiasts can catch a glimpse of Shaheen in action during the Asia Cup. This presents another platform for the speedster to showcase his prowess on the international stage.
Before kicking-off their campaign against Netherlands on October 6, Pakistan will play two warm-up fixtures against New Zealand and Australia. The matches will be played on September 29 and October 3.