India will aim for revenge for the 2019 semi-final defeat when they clash against New Zealand in the first knockout game of this ICC World Cup 2023. The big-ticket encounter, scheduled for November 15, will be hosted at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where India beat Sri Lanka in the 2011 final to claim the World Cup title after 28 years. The hosts will enter the semi-final as the favourites after winning all their league matches but they will be wary of New Zealand who have been a roadblock for them in the past few ICC events.
Meanwhile, New Zealand qualified for the knockout stage after finishing fourth in the points table. A commanding 5-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the last game confirmed their place in the semi-finals.
India played their last match against the Netherlands and registered a 160-run victory.
When India and New Zealand met each other in the league stage, the Men in Blue dominated the proceedings. The Black Caps managed to produce 273 runs in the first innings, powered by a centurion knock from Daryl Mitchell. Rachin Ravindra made a crucial contribution, scoring 75 off 87 balls. India pulled off a promising start to the chase. After Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill racked up a 71-run partnership, Virat Kohli (95) dished out his A-game but fell 5 runs short of completing the ton. However, India secured a comfortable 4-wicket win in the match, chasing down the target in 48 overs.
Pitch Report:
The pitch at Wankhede is known for providing a favourable surface for batters. The ground has small boundaries which help batters play their shots freely. From the bowling perspective, spinners and medium pacers are expected to come in handy at the venue. The toss will play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the match. Among 27 ODIs played in Mumbai, the team batting first has emerged victorious on 14 occasions, while the chasing unit won the remaining games. When India and New Zealand last played a 50-over game at Wankhede in 2017, the visitors had the last laugh by chasing down a target of 281 runs.
Weather Report
The weather in Mumbai is expected to remain mostly sunny on November 15. The World Cup match between India and New Zealand is unlikely to see an interference due to rain. The temperature could hover around 25 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is anticipated to be around 45-59 percent. The wind speed will be around 11-15 km/h during the 50-over clash.
India vs New Zealand ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Full Squads:
India Full Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav
New Zealand Full Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young
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