India will take on New Zealand in semifinal 1 of the Men’s World Cup ODI 2023 in Mumbai on Wednesday, 15th November. The hosts have had a brilliant campaign in the tournament, with a nine-match winning streak. The Men in Blue are the only team to remain unbeaten thus far and finished on the top of the points table to qualify for the semifinal. New Zealand have had a decent campaign with five wins and four losses, qualifying for the semifinal after finishing fourth with a better Net Run Rate (NRR) than Pakistan in the points table.
India and New Zealand will be facing against each other for the second time in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI. Two teams locked horns in the league stage, where the Men in Blue won by four wickets. This semifinal will be a repeat of the 2019 semifinal, where India suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the Kiwis. The first semifinal is expected to be exciting as India will look to extend their unbeaten run and keep their hopes of winning the prestigious alive, whereas New Zealand will aim to qualify for the third successive final of the tournament.
Players To Watch Out For
1. R Sharma (IND): If India needs a good start to their innings, the Indian skipper is the go-to batsman. In this tournament, R Sharma has provided great starts for the team, either batting first or chasing the target. In the last match against the Netherlands, the 36-year-old scored 61 off 54 balls at a strike rate of 112.96 to help the Men in Blue post a solid total of 410/4 on the board. In the ongoing Men’s World Cup, R Sharma has aggregated 503 runs, including a century and three half-centuries, at an average of 55.88 and a strike rate of 121.49 in seven matches. Sharma has been in good form in the tournament, putting aside his concern over consistency. R Sharma can score quick runs in the powerplay which will have a significant impact on the run-rate during the innings. R Sharma will look to come up with goods in the semifinal against New Zealand.
2. R Ravindra (NZ): R Ravindra has been quite a sensation in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. The 23-year-old caught the limelight with his consistent performances in the tournament, making him the next big thing in international cricket. In the last match against Sri Lanka, Ravindra scored 42 off 23 balls while chasing the target of 172. With this, he shattered the record for the most runs in a Men’s World Cup ODI debut. R Ravindra is currently the third-leading run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 565 runs, including three centuries and two fifties, at an average of 70.62 in 9 matches. R Ravindra is an attacking batsman who not only scores quick runs in the powerplay but also can anchor the innings when needed. R Ravindra is expected to be in a spot in the semifinal against India.
3. V Kohli (IND): V Kohli is in the form of his life in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against the Netherlands, the 35-year-old scored 51 off 56 balls at a strike rate of 91.07. With this, Kohli has moved to the top of the leading run-scorers chart of the tournament, aggregating 594 runs, including two centuries and seven half-centuries, at an impressive average of 99 in nine matches. Kohli’s current form has been a good positive for Team India management. There were a lot of hopes for the former Indian skipper to come up with goods in the tournament. V Kohli’s strike rate is average as he has played the matches as per the situation rather than resorting to his attacking style of batting. Kohli will look to pose a threat to New Zealand’s bowling line-up. Also, he is expected to have a battle against Pacer T Boult.
4. T Boult (NZ): T Boult is leading the pace battery of New Zealand in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against Sri Lanka, the 32-year-old scalped three wickets while conceding just 37 runs at an economy rate of 3.7 in his quota of 10 overs. With this, he has completed 50 wickets in the Men’s World Cup ODI. In this edition of the tournament, Boult has scalped 13 wickets at an average of 32.15 and an economy rate of 5.16 in 9 matches. He is a dangerous bowler due to his ability to swing the ball in both ways, which bamboozled the batsmen. He can deliver toe-crushing yorkers, making him one of the most lethal bowlers. He is a crucial bowler at the death. T Boult will go loggerheads with India’s batting line-up in an epic semifinal.
5. J Bumrah (IND): J Bumrah is the pace spearhead for India in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against the Netherlands, the 29-year-old scalped two wickets while conceding just 33 runs at an economy rate of 3.70 in his 9 overs spell. Bumrah is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament, with 17 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, at an average of 15.64 and an economy rate of 3.65 in nine games. Ever since his return to international cricket after a long injury layoff, Bumrah has been bowling really well. His ability to swing the ball and deliver excellent yorkers will leave the batsmen in the world bamboozled. He can restrict the flow of runs and take the wickets in the middle overs to turn the game on its head. J Bumrah is expected a pose a tough challenge to New Zealand’s bowling attack.
Predicted Playing XI
IND: S Gill, R Sharma (C), V Kohli, S Iyer, KL Rahul, SK Yadav, R Jadeja, K Yadav, M Shami, J Bumrah, M Siraj,
NZ: D Conway, R Ravindra, K Williamson (C), D Mitchell, M Chapman, T Latham (WK), G Phillips, M Santner, T Southee, L Ferguson, T Boult,
Fantasy Playing XI Picks
Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul
Batsmen: R Sharma, V Kohli, K Williamson, D Mitchell,
All-rounders: R Ravindra, R Jadeja
Bowlers: M Santner, J Bumrah, T Boult, M Shami,
Prediction
Since it’s semifinal, India and New Zealand are expected to give a tough fight against each other to book their spot in the Final. However, the Men in Blue are likely to win this fixture as there will be no stone unturned to remain undefeated in the tournament and advance to the Final. India’s batting line-up has fared remarkably well, with each contributing with their willows. The bowlers have been top-notch up with their performances, making them the most challenging for the batsman. Therefore, the Men in Blue have a chance of winning the semifinal.
