CWC 2023, 1st Semi-Final; IND Vs NZ: And so they meet again. 4 years since the last time these two sides faced each other off at Manchester in a rain-influenced 2-day semifinal, India and New Zealand are back again, this time in the sunnier and warmer confines of Mumbai. New Zealand over the course of the last decade has been like an albatross hanging around India’s neck in ICC events, somehow always having their number and getting the better of them in thumping fashion. India will dearly want to end that streak in a knockout game where the stakes are at their highest and with zero margin for error.
Background For The IND Vs NZ Clash!!
Both sides have made contrasting runs to the semifinals. India have been on like a house on fire, demolishing every team in its way with a mixture of class, panache, style, brutality, and relentless attack. They finished the Round Robin stage on the top of the table and enters the semifinals with a perfect record behind them. They have had different match-winners in every game and that is a positive omen heading into this crunch fixture at the Wankhede.
New Zealand on the other hand have had a rather mixed run in this tournament. They put the entire tournament on notice by demolishing England in the curtain-raiser and then went on to beat the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. But then they were not able to kick on their early success, going on a 4-game losing streak that was snapped by a convincing against Sri Lanka to more or less confirm that final spot courtesy of that healthy NRR.
Head-To-Head
While India boasts the better record between the two sides in bilaterals in India, New Zealand have been the Men in Blue’s kryptonite in ICC events. Everyone knows about the loss in the 2019 semifinals and the 2021 WTC Finals at the hands of the same opponents. However, India ended their 2-decade-long jinx of not beating the Kiwis by beating them in Dharamsala in the league stage courtesy of a Shami 5-fer and a superlative 95 by Virat Kohli.
Key players- Rohit Sharma And Trent Boult
The best powerplay batter in this tournament vs the best powerplay bowler in ODI Cricket goes face to face once again. While the Indian skipper won this battle in the first round between the two, Boult will fancy his chances on a pitch that will have lot of help for him, especially if they are bowling under lights. Rohit has been a one-man battering ram in the powerplay with only one objective in mind- to give an almighty thrashing to anyone who bowls to him, and more often than not he has delivered that, which eases the pressure on the likes of the Kohlis, the Iyers, the Gills, and the Rahuls. If Boult manages to upset the apple cart by nicking Rohit early, we could have a game on our hands.
Predictions For IND Vs NZ:
It is hard to look past India with the form that they have displayed throughout the 9 games they have played and the way they have clicked as a unit. But anyone who have watched Indian cricket closely knows that they are always one “30-minute spell of bad cricket” away from losing it in crunch situations, and that is what New Zealand will be hoping for as the game goes on. But the prediction is very simple- whoever wins the toss will have a better chance of winning the game.
Author Credits- Delwyn Serrao
