4 players from India & NZ who will feature in the 2023 World Cup semifinal and also played in 2011 ft. Virat Kohli
Team India will battle it out against New Zealand in the first semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 15.
India have been unbeaten in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup. New Zealand, on the other hand, ended up as the fourth team to qualify for the semi-finals, winning five and losing four of their nine encounters.
New Zealand defeated India in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup and India will be vary of the Kiwi threat in Mumbai.
There are two players each from India and New Zealand squad who will feature in the 2023 World Cup semi-final who also played in the 2011 World Cup. Here is a look at the four said players:
#1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has been the mainstay of the Indian batting line-up in the 2023 World Cup. The former Indian skipper has scored 594 runs at an average of 99 in nine innings and is the highest run-scorer in the tournament so far.
The Delhi batter has scored two centuries and five half-centuries. He has been a threat to the opponents every time he has got his eye in during the World Cup.
Kohli was a part of the Indian team that won the 2011 World Cup. In nine innings during the tournament, he scored 282 runs at an average of 35.25. He played in the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup against Pakistan but could not make much of an impact with the bat and scored only nine runs.
The right-hander scored a vital 35 in the final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede and was one of the architects of India's win.
In the last 12 years, Kohli has made rapid strides in ODI cricket and has scored 13677 runs and 49 ODI centuries. He will be hopeful of carrying on his good form in the semi-finals and subsequently the final and guiding his team to their third World Cup trophy.
#2 Kane Williamson
The Kiwi skipper has played just three matches in the 2023 World Cup. Injuries have forced Kane Williamson to skip most of the matches during the ongoing World Cup. He has, however, made an impact in the three matches he has played in the 2023 World Cup. He has scored 187 runs at an average of 93.50 including two half-centuries.
Williamson was also a part of the New Zealand team that toured the sub-continent during the 2011 World Cup. He had played in only 11 ODIs before the 2011 World Cup.
During the mega tournament in 2011, Williamson featured in only four games, including the semi-finals against Sri Lanka in Colombo. He scored 22 runs before he was trapped leg before wicket by Lasith Malinga. Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.
Williamson had an ordinary 2011 World Cup having scored 99 runs from four innings at an average of 49.50.
New Zealand have ended as runners-up in the previous two editions of World Cups i.e. 2015 and 2019. Williamson will be hopeful of winning the coveted trophy this time around.
#3 Tim Southee
The New Zealand pacer is the third-highest wicket-taker (218) for his country in ODI cricket. He has been an integral part of the Kiwi team for more than a decade. He was also a part of the team that went down to Sri Lanka in the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.
Tim Southee was the most successful bowler for New Zealand in the 2011 World Cup semi-finals and picked up three wickets during the game.
Fast forward 12 years and Southee will be featuring in another semi-final for the Kiwis. An injury forced him out of the early parts of the 2023 World Cup. In three matches played in the tournament, Southee has picked up four wickets at an average of 39.
The wicket at Wankhede has assisted pace bowlers under lights. Southee will be hopeful of making his experience count and pick up wickets to guide his team to their third consecutive World Cup finals.
#4 Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin is the second member of the current Indian squad to have featured in the 2011 World Cup. In the ongoing edition of the World Cup, the off-spinner played a solitary game against Australia and picked up the wicket of Cameroon Green. He has not been considered for selection in the playing X1 since then.
Ashwin played two matches for India during the 2011 World Cup i.e. the group match against West Indies and the quarter-finals against Australia. He picked up four wickets during the said games.
His spell of 2-52 against Australia in the quarter-finals was vital in restricting the Australian batting. He picked up vital wickets of Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting.
Ashwin is unlikely to feature in the semi-finals against New Zealand. However, he is only one of the four players to feature in the 2023 World Cup, 12 years after the 2011 World Cup.