Ex-captain cautions the subcontinental heavyweights ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup, “India and Pakistan aren’t dream units.” Salman Butt, a former Pakistan captain, has issued a warning to India and Pakistan ahead of the ODI World Cup in 2023, which will start on October 5. Butt asserted that neither the Men in Blue nor the Men in Green are on the same level by using Australia’s team from the 2000s as an example. While asserting that India and Pakistan are far from being dream units, Butt referred to the Australian team of the 2000s as the “dream unit.”
“Experiments can’t be conducted right now. Both of these teams are not the Australia of the 2000s, which could do anything and still win. Both playing with new players and playing against previous winners resulted in victories. Both sides are aware that they are not that team.
“Their (India and Pakistan’s) competition is with groups that, on their best days, pose a threat. Australia was miles ahead of every other nation. They still could have scored 275-300 runs in an inning even if they lost five batters early. A dream unit, that one. Pakistan and India are not ideal partners, he continued.
The last time India won the ODI World Cup was in 2011, captained by MS Dhoni. Butt reflected on the time and claimed that while the current Indian team struggles against a strong bowling attack if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli underperform, Dhoni’s team had the luxury of having some of the best batters.
“Under Dhoni, India’s batting was excellent. They need to put on a good show right now because if Rohit or Kohli don’t score many runs, they will struggle against a strong bowling lineup. And Pakistan can be a very difficult bowling side on their best days,” Butt said.
