3 reasons why India will beat New Zealand in the first semifinal of the 2023 World Cup
Four years later, we're back in the same situation ahead of the World Cup knockouts, with India and New Zealand all set to lock horns in a high-octane clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15.
Back in 2019, the Blackcaps edged the Men in Blue out over the course of two rain-affected days, with Ravindra Jadeja's splendid innings going in vain. India's top order came undone then, but things do seem different this time around.
There's reason to believe that the hosts, who went through the league stage unbeaten and finished at the top of the table, will be able to beat the Kiwis, who narrowly pipped Pakistan to a spot in the last four.
Here are three reasons why India will beat New Zealand in the first semifinal of the 2023 World Cup.
#3 There is complete role clarity among the Indian team
This has been a standout of the Indian team in the 2023 World Cup. They have not made any changes to their batting order, and the only tweaks they've made to their playing XI have been influenced by injuries and illnesses.
The openers know exactly what they need to do, with Rohit Sharma providing some runs in the first powerplay. The same clarity flows right through the middle order, with Virat Kohli generally batting through the innings and having the others attack around him.
Even when Mohammed Siraj seemed to be struggling, India continued to hand the new ball to him ahead of Mohammed Shami, and the younger fast bowler responded with a superb display against Sri Lanka.
All of India's players have complete clarity regarding their roles, which will simplify matters for them in a high-stakes game like a World Cup semifinal.
#2 India's bowling attack is simply unplayable
Clarity is one thing, but on a skill-for-skill basis, India have the best bowling attack in the world.
That's not hard when you have a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, with Shami and Siraj to support him at all phases of the innings. Bumrah and Shami, in particular, don't go wicket-hunting, meaning that they constantly create pressure with dot balls.
Hardik Pandya's absence means that India don't have the flexibility to go in with three spinners anymore, but Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have ensured 10 overs each of the highest quality.
New Zealand's bowling attack isn't too bad either, but India's is out of this world. That is a massive advantage for the hosts ahead of their semifinal matchup against the Blackcaps.
#1 India have ticked all boxes heading into the clash
India's final league game against the Netherlands saw them tick some more boxes, just when it seemed like they were running out of ways to improve.
KL Rahul, who had briefly been struggling to convert his starts, notched up a sensational century. Shreyas Iyer crossed the three-figure mark himself after missing out a couple of times, continuing his excellent run of form in the second half of the World Cup.
There is no player in the side who hasn't been able to stamp his authority on the tournament, with all of them contributing at some point or the other. Having ticked all boxes, the Men in Blue are the clear favorites to triumph in the semifinal and seal their spot in the summit clash.