Cape Town, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock believes the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup could be the final appearance at the tournament for Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, describing it as a potential “swan song” for the two players and other established stars of the format.
The 2027 ODI World Cup is scheduled to be held from October 2 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“I think it’s also going to be a swan song for him (Rohit) and a couple of players. This Cricket World Cup could be their last swan song, players like Virat Kohli, Mitchell Starc, who have been unbelievable servants for One-Day International games,” Pollock was quoted as saying by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday.
He said the tournament would provide an opportunity for these experienced players to showcase their abilities on the global stage, potentially for the final time in an ODI World Cup.
While discussing the teams competing for the title, Pollock backed co-hosts South Africa as strong contenders, while former West Indies captain Brian Lara also expressed confidence in the Proteas’ prospects on home soil.
Lara said South Africa’s return as World Cup hosts after 24 years could provide a significant opportunity for the team. He also welcomed the expanded 14-team format, saying that including more teams was beneficial for the tournament.
“South Africa hosting after 24 years, I fancy them this time around. I think they are going to be my No.1 team. It’s a great format. I believe getting as many teams as possible is good,” Lara said.
However, Lara cautioned against underestimating the West Indies, who will have to navigate the qualification pathway to secure a place in the main tournament.
“Don’t rule out the West Indies rolling through the qualifiers, getting in there and causing some chaos,” he said.
Pollock also discussed some of the early fixtures, highlighting South Africa’s opening match against New Zealand as an intriguing contest. The Proteas will face New Zealand following their previous encounter at the T20 World Cup, which Pollock said added significance to the matchup.
“I like some matchups initially. Australia against India first up and then from a South African perspective, first game against New Zealand after what they did to us at the T20 World Cup,” he said.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch spoke about the excitement surrounding the marquee India-Pakistan clash, scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on October 10.
“It’s just a great rivalry, and I love looking at that contest. The excitement, the energy, it’s been a one-sided contest over the last couple of years, but that is something else to experience in person,” Finch said.
Meanwhile, South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi warned that co-hosts Zimbabwe could pose a challenge to the participating teams. Referring to Zimbabwe’s performance against South Africa at the T20 World Cup, Ngidi said the team had demonstrated its ability to put opponents under pressure.
“We witnessed first-hand. They (Zimbabwe) gave us a good run at the T20 World Cup, so you know that quality players can put you under pressure and you got to be on your mark pretty much most of the tournament,” Ngidi said.
The 2027 ODI World Cup will bring together teams from across the world in an expanded 14-team competition, with matches scheduled across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
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