Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has hailed South Africa as a serious contender for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The proclamation comes hot on the heels of South Africa’s remarkable triumph over Australia in a gripping five-match ODI series, which saw the Proteas rally from a 1-2 deficit to claim victory by clinching the last two games with commanding margins of 164 and 122 runs. The former England batter, never one to mince his words, took to the social media platform ‘X’ to express his thoughts on South Africa’s newfound status in the cricketing hierarchy.
He credited their resurgence to the stellar performance of Heinrich Klaasen, whose contribution proved pivotal in securing the series win. Nevertheless, the 43-year-old remained unwavering in his assertion that India holds the coveted title of favourites, especially on their home turf, following their Asia Cup triumph. He also underlined the ever-present threat posed by Pakistan and acknowledged England’s formidable position, just a notch below India. As for the perennial contenders, Australia, Pietersen believed they would be in the mix, as always.
“South Africa become contenders for the CWC after their win against Aus. Klaasen is the major asset. India favourites at home with Asia Cup win. Pakistan is always a threat. ALWAYS! England sitting just under India, in terms of favourites tag. And Australia, well they’ll be there and thereabouts,” Pietersen said in a post on ‘X’.
Here’s Pietersen’s latest post on ‘X’:
South Africa become contenders for the CWC after their win against Aus. Klaasen is the major asset.
India favourites at home with Asia Cup win.
Pakistan is always a threat. ALWAYS!
England sitting just under India, in terms of favourites tag.
And Australia, well they’ll be…
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) September 18, 2023
The World Cup 2023 beckons
The stage is set for a thrilling showdown as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, and the Netherlands have all earned their spots in the prestigious tournament. The group stage promises to be a fiercely competitive affair, with a round-robin format determining the top four teams that will advance to the knockout stages. The semi-final clashes are slated to take place in Mumbai on November 15 and in Kolkata on November 16, with the grand finale set to unfold in Ahmedabad on November 19.
Cricket enthusiasts around the world are gearing up for the spectacle, as the 10-team Cricket World Cup is poised to kick-start on October 5. While eight teams secured direct qualification for the 46-day extravaganza, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands secured the last two coveted spots through a nail-biting qualifier round held in Zimbabwe just last month.