World Cup 2019: India "Need To Strengthen Batting Lower Down The Order": Clive Lloyd

India and Australia have both impressed everyone with their performance in World Cup 2019. They are the only teams who have lost only one game each in the tournament so far. Australia, who are on the top of the table, have already entered the semi-finals while India still need a win to advance to the knockout. Clive Lloyd, who led the West Indies to World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, thinks India and Australia are the "standout" teams at the World Cup 2019.

"They (India and Australia) have been the two standout teams for me at this World Cup," said Lloyd in an ICC column published on Tuesday.

"They have understood the conditions better than any of the others," he added.

However, Lloyd has urged the Indian team to boost their batting if they are to dethrone the reigning champions Australia, after Indian batsmen failed to chase down a target of 338 runs against England on Sunday.

"England played the right kind of game against them by attacking the spinners and they (India) need to strengthen their batting lower down the order," said Lloyd.

Lloyd, now 74, was one of the original powerful shotmakers, which are now commonplace in one-day cricket.

The former West Indies skipper has tipped Australia left-hander Alex Carey, who scored 71 in the win against New Zealand, as a potential star of the tournament.

"Carey was a relative unknown beforehand but he bats with such maturity," he said. "He has freedom to attack but also the technical skills needed to find the boundary.

"He is a bolter and I have loved watching him play."

India will be assured of joining defending champions Australia in the semis if they beat Bangladesh on Tuesday.

(With AFP inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team World Cup 2019 Cricket