Former India speedster Zaheer Khan believes that ODI cricket should continue to make its presence felt in the buildup to the 2022 T20 World Cup as well. He also said that teams will also have to keep the 2023 ICC World Cup in mind as well. With the T20 World Cup around the corner, their schedule also comprises regular ODI cricket where they will face West Indies, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in a set of bilateral ODI series before the T20 World Cup as well.
Saying that the teams need to start laying their plan for the ODI World Cup in 2023 despite the focus currently being on T20Is, Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz: “It is a balanced approach because you do have the 50-over World Cup coming in 2023. From that point of view, you need to be in touch with the game, you need to identify the personnel, you need to have the process defined even though it is about a year and a half away.”
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However, all the cricketing nations are currently in a race for qualification through the ODI World Cup Super League. India have already attained their place in the tournament as the host nation as well. A total of eight teams will directly qualify for the mega event, while other nations will have to play the qualifiers in order to cement their places in the mega event as well. India will play against West Indies in the first ODI on Friday (July 22) at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. The two teams are scheduled to play three ODIs and five T20Is as well.
Meanwhile, Zaheer Khan believes the second-string Indian team will only improve with more matches. Opining that they have a good opportunity on their hands, Khan said: “When it comes to T20s, the more you play, the better understanding of each and everyone’s role you are going to have, better understanding of the team selection you get.”
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“From that point of view, the key players have been rested from the ODI squad, which itself shows that you want the bench strength to be exposed to pressure situations. There is nothing better than match scenario,” Zaheer Khan concluded.
