T20 World Cup 2021, England vs New Zealand: 3 player battles to watch out for
England and New Zealand square off in the first semifinal of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday. Both teams finished with eight points, with the latter vaulting over India after pipping Afghanistan in their Group B league tussle.
It's England's firebrand batting vs New Zealand's clinical approach to winning games that form the biggest highlight. Eoin Morgan's men have been plagued with injury issues midway through the tournament, but have played quality cricket to coast to the semis.
New Zealand ensured that their only hiccup was the loss against Pakistan. They will now look to carry their good form when they meet at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (November 10).
Ahead of the key T20 World Cup clash, we take a look at the three player battles to watch out for.
#1 Jos Buttler vs Trent Boult will set the tone for the T20 World Cup semifinal
Express pace vs explosive batting will be on full display when Jos Buttler takes on Trent Boult. The Englishman scored a bruising ton against Sri Lanka in the Super 12 stage of the tournament.
Butler has scored 2490 runs from five matches at an average of 120.00 and a strike rate of 155.84. Boult comes into the T20 World Cup with 11 wickets and an economy of 5.84. This clash is a must-watch.
#2 Martin Guptill vs Adil Rashid
Guile and hard-hits form the second player battle as Martin Guptill will look to get the better of Adil Rashid. It will be a key battle if Rashid rolls his arm over during the powerplay.
Rashid has eight wickets to show for in the T20 World Cup so far and will be eager to send Guptill back to the hut. The Kiwi opener has scored 176 runs from five matches at an average of 35.20.
#3 Kane Williamson vs Moeen Ali
The Kiwi skipper has been due for a big score for some time now. The semifinals of the T20 World Cup give rise to the perfect opportunity to play a solid innings that will see the team through.
Moeen Ali has been the backbone of the English bowling attack. He has faced enough of Kane Williamson in the IPL to know his strengths and weaknesses. Dismissing him will dent the NZ top order. It will provide an opportunity for England to make early inroads into the middle order and test the depth NZ has.