ICC T20 World Cup 2016: India vs New Zealand - 5 things to look forward to

One year, eleven months and eight days after an anti-climatic end to their World T20 campaign, Team India start anew. This time at home and with an undefeatable aura around themselves. It is the sixth, and perhaps the last time MS Dhoni will be leading India in a T20 World Cup and along with the senior pros on his side, would want to seek redemption for the loss in the finals of 2014. The team has done nothing wrong though in the lead up to this redemption road – winning ten out of eleven T20 internationals played in 2016.Also read: India Vs New Zealand-LIVE Streaming Info, Cricket Scores, Ball by Ball Commentary, Scorecard Updates and moreAt the other end of the spectrum is a New Zealand side that just bid adieu to one of its greatest players, and it’s most successful T20 player. In the absence of Brendon McCullum’s firepower at the top and tactical nous, will they be able to at least achieve a Top 4 berth like they once did in 2007? Or will they fizzle out like they did in all other editions?Here are five things to look forward to from the encounter at Nagpur. 

#1 Captain Williamson

Kane Williamson will need to lead by example

Brendon McCullum last played a T20I in June 2015, and ever since, Kane Williamson has done a reasonably good job in filling in for his skipper, winning six out of the eight T20Is that he’s captained the side in. 

However, the World T20 2016 is Williamson’s first full-time stint as captain of New Zealand and the whole world will be watching him. Arguably one of the best batsmen of the current generation, Williamson will not just lead on the field, but will also have to show the way with the bat. With this dual pressure on him, it will be interesting to see how he delivers at a world event where New Zealand hasn’t achieved its best yet. 

While one could count on McCullum to do some of the most innovative things on a cricket fielding like having attacking field positions in a one-day game or placing a fly-slip to get a batsman out, only time will tell if Williamson can emulate the attacking instincts that his predecessor often showed.