Shoaib Akhtar: “If you ask me, I think England is winning this World Cup”

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Legendary Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar doesn’t believe the national team will win the World Cup as he feels England will lift the trophy for the first time.

Pakistan have only won the World Cup once, which came under the captaincy of the country’s current Prime Minister Imran Khan in 1992.

However, while he isn’t backing the men in green to go all the way at the quadrennial event, Akhtar is confident that they will reach the semi-finals.

“The England cricket team once hold a reputation for not being serious with limited overs cricket, look at them now,” he was quoted as saying by the Business Recorder. “There is a bit of a problem in their bowling, but it looks a very compact team. If you ask me, I think England is winning this World Cup.

“I think Pakistan can be one [of] the [more] favorable contenders to [reach the] semis.”

Akhtar added that Pakistan’s senior players will have to make their presence felt during the tournament as this could be the last time they will play a World Cup.

This will definitely be the case for veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik as he has already confirmed that he will be retiring from ODIs after the World Cup.

Fellow all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez is likely to be in the same boat as Malik in terms of playing his last World Cup as he is 38.

“Some five players are going to retire and they will not get a chance again to play the World Cup, so [there] is a huge burden on these players to perform,” Akhtar said.

Pakistan will kick off their World Cup campaign against the West Indies in Nottingham on May 31.

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