WANKHEDE- India seized the advantage by winning the toss, a decision aimed at mitigating the threat of Trent Boult exploiting swinging conditions with the new ball under lights.
It is semi-final of the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 that is being played at Wankhede ground.
The plan is to navigate Boult’s initial spell and focus on targeting Tim Southee, who entered the World Cup as an injury replacement.
India has proven to be the fastest-scoring team in the first 10 overs of this World Cup, boasting a run rate of 6.7. Despite potential nerves associated with a semi-final, especially in the initial overs, the team, led by Rohit Sharma, is expected to accelerate once they gauge the pitch’s pace.
Speaking on the pitch conditions, Rohit Sharma remarked that it looks good but is on the slower side. Reflecting on the 2019 semi-final, he acknowledged New Zealand’s consistent performance over the years, anticipating a challenging yet exciting contest. Stressing the importance of staying focused on the present and controlling controllable factors, he emphasized, “Today is the day”.
On the opposing side, Kane Williamson expressed a preference for batting first on a used surface. He expressed hope for dew later in the match to favor his team’s performance. Recognizing the formidable challenge posed by a team in good form, Williamson noted that both India and New Zealand have been delivering quality cricket performances.
Playing XI:
India: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj
New Zealand: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Mark Chapman, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent Boult
