Muttiah Muralitharan predicts Virat Kohli could be among the top run-scorers in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

Legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan recently stated that Team India's star batter Virat Kohli could emerge as one of the top three run-scorers at the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Muralitharan was present at the St Regis Hotel in Mumbai on Tuesday, June 27, for the unveiling of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 schedule. During the event, the former cricketer was asked to name his picks for the top three run-getters.

The 51-year-old replied that Virat Kohli, Joe Root (England) and Babar Azam (Pakistan) will be the most prolific run-scorers at the marquee event.

On being asked if Rohit Sharma's record of scoring five centuries in a single edition of the ODI World Cup will be broken, he opined that it won't be an easy feat as players are expected to play just around 10 matches.

Answering the question, he remarked:

"It will be very tough. You get only 9 to 10 or 11 matches. So it's very hard to break."

It is worth mentioning that Sharma was in tremendous form in the 2019 World Cup. The opener became the first batter to score five centuries in a single ODI World Cup. With 648 runs from nine games, he was the leading run-scorer in the edition.

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"Spinners will dominate the World Cup" - Muttiah Muralitharan

During the event, Muttiah Muralitharan also stated that spin bowlers are expected to play a significant role at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Naming his picks for the highest wicket-takers, he opined that leg spinners Adil Rashid and Rashid Khan could bag a lot of wickets. Muralitharan claimed that India's Ravindra Jadeja can also be at the top of the list, given that he plays all the matches.

Muralitharan commented:

"Spinners will dominate the World Cup. My pick for the highest wicket-takers will be Adil Rashid, Rashid Khan. If Ravindra Jadeja plays all the matches, he too will be a top contender."

The forthcoming 13th edition of the ODI World Cup is set to be played in India from October 5 to November 19. Defending champions England will take on New Zealand in the opening fixture of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.