The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 has reached the knockout phase. India and New Zealand will meet in the first semi-final on Wednesday, November 15 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Australia and South Africa will meet in the second semi-final of the tournament on November 16 in Kolkata.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has ventured into the realm of predictions and shared his insights on the potential finalists of the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. As the tournament reaches its climax and the semi-finals are on the horizon, Shastri shared his thoughts on teams he believes will ultimately challenge for the coveted title.

Ahead of the two epic clashes, legendary cricketers Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting shared their views on the upcoming big matches of the cricketing extravaganza. Shastri announced his two finalists for the event, supporting India and Australia to compete at the summit on November 19 in Ahmedabad.

Ravi Shastri's bold prediction

Shastri, who is known for his astute analysis, pointed out that he believes India and Australia are the frontrunners to secure places in the final showdown. Both teams put in commendable performances in the league phase, displaying a mix of skill, strategy and resilience.

“On October 8, during India's first match of the tournament [against Australia], I said that this was the dress rehearsal for the final. I feel that these two teams will meet in the final too,” Shastri said during the ICC Quiz Night at Glocal Junction in Mumbai.

India are keen to end the knockout curse against the Kiwis

As the event progressed, the duo were asked to select a player from the combined India and New Zealand lineups that they wanted in their teams. While Ponting picked star batsman Virat Kohli, Shastri picked Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his astute captaincy so far in the tournament and his explosive batting at the top.

Meanwhile, India will be looking to end their knockout curse in the first semi-final, having failed time and again despite qualifying for the knockout stages in seven of the last eight ICC events Winning the ICC trophy.