3 reasons why India will not be happy to face New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinals
For all practical purposes, the semi-final clashes of the 2023 World Cup have already been decided, even though two teams are yet to be mathematically ruled out.
New Zealand, by virtue of their comfortable win over Sri Lanka, boosted their net run rate by a significant margin and all but pushed Pakistan out of the race for the final four. Afghanistan are also yet to be officially eliminated, but their chances are limited to the most outlandish of possibilities following their disappointing loss to Australia.
It's almost certain that India will face off against New Zealand in the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15. The Men in Blue have been utterly dominant in the competition so far, but they may not welcome facing the Blackcaps in the knockouts.
Here are three reasons why India will not be happy to face New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinals.
#3 New Zealand play a risk-free brand of cricket that is perfect for pressure games
Unlike India and captain Rohit Sharma, who have adopted an aggressive brand of cricket that is high-risk, high-reward, New Zealand are conservative - and almost always have been. While that may not always translate into round-robin success, it's perfect for high-pressure matches like semifinals and finals.
Yes, the Kiwis have come up short in the last two World Cup finals, but one of them was down to Brendon McCullum's early dismissal and the other was just a stroke of bad luck.
Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson form a stable top three, with insurance to come in Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, and Mark Chapman.
New Zealand are a side with sound fundamentals that almost always pull them through tough situations. They rarely get the basics wrong, and their style of play also makes it easy for them to keep things simple. The Blackcaps could be India's kryptonite in that sense.
#2 The Kiwi pace attack could enjoy bowling at the Wankhede Stadium
The last two matches at the Wankhede Stadium have reaffirmed the belief that it's one of the most pace-friendly venues in the country.
Against Sri Lanka, India ran through the opposition order, with Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami all being impressive. All three pacers generated appreciable movement under the lights in both directions.
Then, in the Australia vs Afghanistan clash, Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai got the ball to talk to reduce the Aussies to four down, before Glenn Maxwell did that.
New Zealand might be without Matt Henry in their current XI, but Trent Boult hit his straps in the previous game with a three-fer. Tim Southee is extremely consistent and bankable, while Lockie Ferguson offers a third dimension that is aggressive and fiery.
The Kiwis could love bowling at the Wankhede stadium, especially under the lights, and have a crack at the famed Indian top order. They've done it before...
#1 History, including 2019, is against India
The 2019 World Cup semi-final, in which New Zealand reduced the Indian top order to rubble before securing their passage through to the final, is still fresh in memory. The Men in Blue will know exactly what transpired that night and its aftermath, and that won't be erased easily from the back of their minds.
Overall, too, the Kiwis have held the wood over India in ICC events. Before their round-robin win over New Zealand, the 2011 World Cup champions hadn't beaten their rivals in an ICC event in close to two decades.
As things currently stand, New Zealand hold a 5-4 edge in World Cup encounters, a 1-0 edge in Champions Trophy clashes, a 3-0 edge in T20 World Cup meetings, and a 3-1 edge in World Test Championship matches.
History is against Rohit Sharma and his men as they gear up for their biggest challenge so far in the 2023 World Cup.