‘Indian team is far superior right now’ – Suresh Raina backs India to beat Pakistan comprehensively at ODI World Cup 2027

Cricknation Update: (Photo source: Instagram/Suresh Raina) Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed India to beat Pakistan comprehensively at the 2027 ODI World Cup, expressing strong confidence in the current Indian side.

Both sides are set to face each other on October 10, 2027 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The tournament is being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and will feature 14 participating teams in a group stage. Raina gave a strong assessment and pointed to India’s strengths in all three departments of the game.

He praised the fearless batting and aggressive style adopted by the current generation of Indian players, which shows that the overall quality of the team sets them art from their rivals at this level. Raina referred to India’s previous World Cup wins in 1983 and 2011 and hoped that 2027 would bring a third title. He noted that Pakistan would also enjoy significant support from fans in South Africa, but maintained that India’s overall quality gives them the edge heading into the tournament.

“The Indian team is very ahead in all departments at the moment. The way the players have improved, the fearlessness with which they are batting and their aggressive style, I don’t think it is the same as before. But India-Pakistan definitely brings more awareness to the fans, but I think the Indian team is much better right now.

It’s a World Cup game, Pakistan will also have support in South Africa, but I think we have that quality team, bowlers with good pace and bounce who can handle pressure well. 1983, 2011, and hopefully, 2027, I think it’s time for a third. The team will have the wishes and the prayers of our 1.4 billion population in India.

And I think they will win this match against Pakistan comfortably,” Raina said while speaking to Geostar after the schedule launch of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. A notable part of Raina’s assessment focused on India’s bowling resources. He specifically highlighted the quality of India’s pace attack, pointing to their ability to generate good pace and bounce, which he believes will be a decisive factor in conditions across South Africa.

Raina expressed confidence that these bowlers have the temperament and skill to handle pressure situations in a high-stakes tournament environment. His comments underline the belief that India’s bowling unit, coupled with their aggressive batting, provides them with a well-rounded team cable of competing at the highest level throughout the tournament. Raina did not single out individual bowlers by name, but his broader point about the team’s depth and quality was clear.

Also Read: ‘Indian team should be there in South Africa a month before to prepare’ – Yuvraj Singh’s suggestion for ODI World Cup 2027 When are the semifinals and final of the 2027 ODI World Cup scheduled? Beyond the high-profile India versus Pakistan fixture on October 10, 2027, the tournament’s knockout stage is also confirmed. The two semi-finals are scheduled for November 17 and 18, 2027, and the final is set for November 21, 2027 in Johannesburg.