‘No favourites to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup’ – Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan believes that there are no favourites to win the upcoming World Cup. AFP PHOTO/William WEST.

January 20, 2011 (Island Cricket): Muttiah Muralitharan said that there were no favourites to win the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The highest wicket taker in ODI cricket and Test cricket told the Indian newspaper DNA in a recent interview that teams from outside of the sub-continent were now capable of coping with conditions in the sub-continent, having played here on numerous occasions in the past.

“I would say there are no favourites as such,” Muralitharan said.

“Yeah, India and Sri Lanka are playing at home, and they will have the advantage. But other teams, too, have played over here and know the conditions and they have a chance.

“In the end, it boils down to the team that takes [it] one match at a time.”

Meanwhile, former West Indian captain and batting legend, Brian Lara, picked South Africa to win the cricket World Cup and singled out Australia, England and India as teams with the potential to win the tournament.

According to Lara, South Africa was a team that had the ability to play “consistent cricket as is required in a long tournament like the World Cup”.

“The team that builds momentum is likely to win the tournament,” Lara told journalist in India earlier this week.

“Starting slowly and getting on top is what you need and that is where physical and mental strength become important.”

Interestingly, Lara attributed Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup win to home conditions.

When asked of India’s chances, Lara said: “In 1996, Sri Lanka was not the best of teams but came out on top because of the conditions on the subcontinent, so India surely has a chance.”

The 10th edition of the Cricket World Cup will be hosted jointly by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The tournament gets underway on February 19 when co-hosts India and Bangladesh face off at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

© Island Cricket