Everyone needs to give his best to win this World Cup: Yuvraj Singh

New Delhi, Sep 29: Yuvraj Singh, the Player of the Tournament in India’s victorious 2011 World Cup campaign on home soil, believes every member in the current team has to handle pressure, put their bodies on the line and give it their all to win the upcoming 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup.

It has been more than ten years since India won an ICC event, with its last major triumph being the 2013 Champions Trophy title in England. Since then, winning an ICC title has eluded the Indian cricket.

But with the trend of hosting nations winning the last three Men’s ODI World Cups, coupled with Asia Cup triumph and 2-1 series win over Australia, there is some optimism over the Indian team breaking a decade-long drought of a global trophy this time.

“It’s been a while since we won an ICC trophy. We played two finals (of the World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023) and I think it might be the last World Cup for a couple of guys in the team,” said Yuvraj in an exclusive interview with IANS.

“I feel everybody has to put their body on the line and need to give it their all to win this World Cup. The format is different and if you reach the semi-finals stage, you will face pressure straight away in a big game. So, I feel it’s also about handling pressure too,” he said.

India, the 1983 and 2011 champions, will open its campaign against five-time champions Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Yuvraj said that Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England can pose a stiff challenge to India in the World Cup.

“Australia has always been a formidable side and have won many titles before. They have the knack of winning pressure games. I also feel New Zealand is a very good team, while England are also a very good ODI side and South Africa is doing well too.”

The 2011 World Cup had seen a spinner in Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi being the joint leading wicket-taker (21 scalps) alongside India’s left-arm fast-bowler Zaheer Khan. Yuvraj reckons bowlers will have a decisive say in winning matches and expects spinners to be key in middle-overs, while adding that dew will come into play during the competition.