IN-FORM INDIA TAKE ON KIWIS TODAY
TEAMS TO BATTLE IT OUT IN WORLD TWENTY20 MATCH AT NAGPUR
NAGPUR: There’s something about New Zealand at the big- ticket events. Even when they are thin on paper, they have punched above their weight. Interestingly, India have not beaten the Kiwis in a Twenty20 game. Even during their run to the title in 2007, the only game they lost was to New Zealand at Johannesburg.
When playing in the sub-continent, the odds are stacked heavily against Kane Williamson’s side, yet you cannot write them off. India need no better reminder than their last encounter at the spin- friendly Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 2012. New Zealand scored 167 for five and restricted the hosts to 166 for four. It was their fourth defeat in four.
In Tuesday’s game, New Zealand will be banking on their batters to take them through. Even without the recentlyretired Brendon McCullum, they possess a dynamic lineup led by captain Kane Williamson. While Williamson looks to do the damage by sticking to his orthodox style, in Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi and Corey Anderson they have the hitters who can take the game away in a couple of overs. The experienced Ross Taylor lends depth to the squad.
In bowling, New Zealand’s strength is their pace attack. Tim Southee and Trent Boult can make the ball talk; Adam Milne aims for pace, cranking up speeds of 150 plus. Anderson, the pace all-rounder, provides the backup option with his controlled swing bowling. They have posed a threat to most batting line-ups this season. On Tuesday, the pressure will be on them though, against Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli.
The New Zealand captain observed his team would derive confidence from their impressive record. “Every time you come to a tournament, you want to do as well as you can and every team comes here with the desire to win it. Every team is very strong which makes for great competition in this part of the world. It brings in added challenge to other teams but at the same time, Twenty20 cricket, it is fickle in its nature and if you go out and express yourself, play with that freedom, anything can happen.”
However, Williamson played down the talk of holding any psychological advantage over India. “Every game of cricket is different. Certainly, we go into tomorrow’s game and it is pretty much a clean slate, it is the start of a tournament and it’s important for us to be focused on our plans and to execute them as best as we can. Yeah, we certainly know that India are a very strong side in this competition and we have to be at our best.”
INDIA HAVE NOT BEATEN THE KIWIS IN A T20. EVEN DURING THEIR RUN TO THE TITLE IN 2007, THE ONLY GAME THEY LOST WAS TO NEW ZEALAND