Ben Stokes Heaps Praise on 'Magicians' Virat Kohli and Steven Smith Ahead of the World Cup

With only ten days to go to the ICC World Cup 2019, the cricketers from all over the globe are gearing up to give their best shot in England and Wales. All eyes will be on two top-tier batsmen – Virat Kohli and Steven Smith who will play crucial roles in bringing home the illustrious trophy home. While Kohli has scored heavily in the last few years, Smith is coming from a suspension and will reclaim his position at the top. As the marquee event kicks off on May 30, England all-rounder Ben Stokes has heaped praise on ‘magician’ Kohli and Smith.

Smith and Kohli will look to weave magic: Stokes

The upcoming cricketing extravaganza will be one of the most evenly contested tournaments in its history. All of the participating teams are coming from the back of success and can beat any teams on a given day. However, former cricketers and pundits have tipped England, Australia, and India as the potential winners. England have been the top ODI side in the last few years, while India didn’t lag too. On the other hand, Australia have picked at the right time while the inclusion of David Warner and Steven Smith will boost their chances to defend the title.

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As they march towards the showpiece event, Ben Stokes has rated Virat Kohli and Smith as the best in the business. Stokes, who will be an important stakeholder in their World Cup side, said that these two batsmen make batting look easy, unlike others. He also feels that both Smith and Warner will look to weave their magic when they begin their World Cup campaign.

“They are both phenomenal players and have played quite a bit against both of them. You watch them play and they make the game look a lot more easier than others do. So, I am a massive fan of both the players. They have both got their own styles and they are both different in the way they play, but they are both very very effective.

You obviously play against guys to win, but at the end of the day you got to look at it from an angle that I love cricket and I love watching both Virat and Steve go about doing their jobs so consistently,” Ben Stokes told IANS.

Meanwhile, England will play the tournament opener against South Africa at the Oval on May 30. On the other hand, India and Australia will begin their campaign on June 5 and 1 respectively. Australia have already reached the country and have started their preparations while India will leave for England on May 22.