Dubai: The crucial match between India and New Zealand in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup will be played today. The match will be played in Dubai from 7.30 pm Indian time.
India lost the first match to Pakistan by 10 wickets and New Zealand by 5 wickets. Therefore, the match is a life and death struggle for both the teams. ICC Cricket World Cup Virat Kohli and his team will have to return if New Zealand’s history repeats itself with a clear lead in the tournament.
If they lose today, India will have three matches left. Even if New Zealand wins all three, the outcome of the match will be crucial for India. New Zealand will secure the semi-finals if they beat India and Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia. India will be out. With almost three wins in a row, Pakistan almost secured the semi-final. The team has won 14 of the 18 Twenty20 Internationals held in Dubai this year.
Get the toss …
Don’t be surprised if the toss winner decides to field without a second thought. The second-batting team has won the most matches in the tournament so far. Kohli has no toss at all. Scotland are the only team to bat second in 11 World Cup matches. The defeat was against Afghanistan. In all other matches, the runner – up wins. The team that batted second in 10 of the last 11 matches in Dubai has won.
Sleep deprivation figures
Until 2016, New Zealand were unbeaten in the Twenty20 against India. Both teams played 16 matches from 2007 to last year. New Zealand won eight of them. India won by six wickets. Two matches were tied. New Zealand has the best winning percentage (56.25%) against India. The last five ICC Tests against New Zealand. India also lost the tournament.
The last defeat was in the final of the recent World Test Championship. New Zealand won the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final by 18 runs. In the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup in Nagpur, India lost by 47 runs. New Zealand also won India’s first Twenty20 World Cup in 2007. The match in Johannesburg was won by 10 runs. New Zealand won the 2003 ODI World Cup at home by seven wickets.
The India-New Zealand group match at the 2007 World Cup will not be forgotten. Batting first, New Zealand scored 190 runs. India could only manage 180 for nine. Brendon McCullum (45) and Craig McMillan (44) shone for New Zealand. Jacob Orav also scored 35 off 15 balls. RP for India Singh and Harbhajan Singh took two wickets each. Yuvraj Singh, S. Sreesanth took one wicket each. Gautam Gambhir (51) and Virender Sehwag (40) gave a great start but the middle order disappointed. Robin Uthappa (0), Yuvraj Singh (five), Dinesh Karthik (17), MS. Dhoni (24) was a disappointment. Daniel Vettori, who took four wickets, smashed India. The second match of the 2012 Twenty20 series will not be forgotten. They beat India by one run. Batting first, New Zealand scored 167 for five while India were bowled out for 166 for four. New Zealand won by one run in the last over thriller.
Hardik will play
India were relieved when all-rounder Hardik started bowling in the Pandya Nets. Jaspreet Bumra can be used as a death over specialist if Hardik regains the ability to bowl. Leg spinner Varun Chakraborty can also be used in the powerplay.
Shardul Thakur, who has been in fine form since the tour of England, is likely to replace Bhuvneshwar Kumar. New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Guptill did not field in the last match. Adam Milne’s fitness is also in New Zealand’s favor. Tim Southee’s position will be lost if Milne arrives. They are unlikely to continue the experiment with Daryl Mitchell as the opener. Jhelum played Neesham in the fourth over against Pakistan. The absence of a finisher in the death over pushed New Zealand to defeat.
Probable team: India – Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli (captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur / Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakraborty,
Probable team: New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (captain), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Tim Seifert, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee / Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Trent.
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