Rohit banks on home support to win ODI World Cup after 12 years

Rohit Sharma is banking on home support to win the 2023 ODI World Cup that is scheduled to be held in India from October-November.

Published : Aug 07, 2023 13:52 IST , NEW DELHI - 2 MINS READ

India skipper Rohit Sharma along with coach Rahul Dravid during a practice session at the Kensington Oval. 
India skipper Rohit Sharma along with coach Rahul Dravid during a practice session at the Kensington Oval.  | Photo Credit: AFP
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India skipper Rohit Sharma along with coach Rahul Dravid during a practice session at the Kensington Oval.  | Photo Credit: AFP

Rohit Sharma will be banking on the “massive” home support his team will get to win the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. India’s last ODI World Cup title came at home in 2011 when MS Dhoni and Co. lifted the coveted trophy.

“I’ve never seen it so close. Even when we won in 2011, I was not part of the squad. But yeah, it looks beautiful, so many memories behind the trophy as well, the past, the history.

“Yeah, so, it looks beautiful and hopefully we can lift it, fingers crossed,” Rohit, who is currently in the United States, was quoted as saying by the ICC.

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The tournament beginning October 5 will be played across 10 venues in India.

“I know for a fact that every ground, every venue that we will be travelling to will get massive support. You know, it’s the World Cup, so everyone is looking forward to this and the World Cup coming back to India after 12 years.

“You know 2011 was the last time we played a 50-over World Cup. We played a 20-over World Cup in 2016 but a 50-over World Cup after 12 years in the country, people are quite excited and we can see the buzz already back home. I’ll be looking forward to playing in all venues.”

Talking about his memories of the World Cup, Rohit said, “In 2003, India played really well up until the finals. You know, Sachin Tendulkar was amazing with the bat, scored so many runs. And then comes the 2007 World Cup where we didn’t have a great time, didn’t even qualify after the league stage, so that was quite unfortunate.

“2011 was a memorable one for all of us, I remember watching it from home, every single match, every single ball which was being bowled and that was being played.

“There were two kinds of emotions, one was obviously I was not a part of it, so I was a little disappointed. I decided I was not going to watch the World Cup, but again, the second memory I remember was that India was playing so well, quarterfinals onwards.” Rohit had excelled in the 2019 edition in which he amassed five centuries.

“And 2015 and 2019, I was a part of it, which felt really good to play the World Cup. We went to the semi-finals, tried everything we could to go to the finals and play well in the finals, but again, a very unfortunate incident where we couldn’t go through to the finals,” he said.

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