In a recent revelation, former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond expressed his preference for Scott Edwards, the captain of the Netherlands, over Babar Azam as his favorite captain from the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. This insight into Bond’s personal choice came during a rapid-fire game on ESPNcricinfo, where he had to make quick decisions between various World Cup captains.
The ICC World Cup 2023 features ten teams, each captained by some of the world’s most accomplished players, including Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler, Babar Azam, and Shakib Al Hasan. Bond’s decision to pick Scott Edwards over Babar Azam is an unexpected choice, given the stature of Babar Azam in international cricket.
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Currently, India, led by Rohit Sharma, is in the second spot in the tournament, with an unbeaten record of five wins from five games. South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram, closely follows in the points table. New Zealand, captained by Tom Latham in the absence of Kane Williamson, is another strong contender for the semi-finals. Australia holds the fourth and final qualification spot.
Shane Bond’s picks in this rapid-fire game also included preferences for other captains over well-known names like Hashmatullah Shahidi, Kusal Mendis, and Shakib Al Hasan. Notably, Bond selected Jos Buttler over Edwards but chose Rohit Sharma over Buttler. The game also involved choosing between Rohit Sharma and Tom Latham, where Bond opted for Latham. When faced with the choice between Latham and Pat Cummins, he stuck with Latham.
Babar Azam’s captaincy has lacked confidence in the World Cup. He has failed to provide the team a solid foundation with bat and in the field. He has often looked clueless when the opposition is on top. The lowest moment came when the Pakistan skipper lost against Afghanistan in their last match.
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