New Zealand opener Devon Conway is well aware of the ‘threat’ that the Indian team will pose to the Kiwis, having remained unbeaten in the World Cup 2023 group stage. India will take on the Kiwis in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, and even though the Black Caps had won four years ago, Devon admitted that the hosts will be a big threat in home conditions.
Rohit Sharma and Co. defeated the Netherlands in their final group game and the Men in Blue have already arrived in Mumbai on Monday ahead of the blockbuster semifinal.
Speaking in a video shared by New Zealand Cricket, Conway stated that the Kiwis are ‘looking forward’ to facing the Indian team.
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“We all know how good India are. They are carrying a lot of momentum (and) they have a strong squad,” said the Kiwi opener.
“But we are looking forward to that challenge. It is exciting for us to play against the host nation in the semifinal. We know they are going to be a threat, but we are looking forward to that challenge,” he added.
Even though the Indian team defeated New Zealand by 4 wickets in the group stage clash in Dharamsala, it was India’s first win over the Kiwis in ICC tournaments since 2003.
“We can acknowledge this is another special occasion for us. We are fortunate enough to have a lot of experience in our camp guys who have been in these situations before. We can lean on those guys and it is very exciting as I can say,” Conway stated.
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“It is one of our goals to be in the World Cup final. It is nice to be one step closer to that goal, everyone is very excited. We’ve been playing some good cricket. For us, it’s about continuing to do what we do. The rest will take care of itself,” he added further.
New Zealand started the tournament with a bang, winning their first four matches, but since they lost to India, the Black Caps endured a four-game losing streak, however, a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their final group game confirmed them of a place in the semifinals, with Pakistan losing their last match to England.
“It has been very exciting. With it being my first ODI World Cup, there have been quite a lot of challenges in a different format. I have certainly thoroughly enjoyed my time here with the guys. We have played some really good cricket. It is exciting to be in this position,” Conway added.
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