Team India will make their fourth straight appearance in the ODI Cricket World Cup semi-final when they clash with New Zealand on Wednesday. Here's a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Black Caps
Team India will make their fourth straight semi-final appearance in the ODI Cricket World Cup when they clash with New Zealand on Wednesday, November 15 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match will start at 2:00 PM IST. (Streaming | Scorecard | Preview | Full Coverage)
Ahead of the knock-out clash, let's take a look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of Team New Zealand for the semis clash:
Strengths
New Zealand's major strength is their bounce-back ability. Despite going under the radar in this tournament, Kane Williamson & Co. remain one of the most dangerous sides in the ODI Cricket World Cup, and their performances are proof of this. Be it their batting or bowling, the Black Caps should not be counted out in any major tournament or series with one example being the ICC Test World Championship 2021.
Weakness
India could look to attack the New Zealand middle-order who are susceptible to spin bowling. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are quality spinners and if the Kiwi middle-order is exposed quite early, Indian spinners surely will have a field day in the semi-final.
Also Read: IND Vs NZ Semi-Final, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: New Zealand's Last-Four Performances Over The Years
Opportunities
New Zealand will look to bat first and put up a sizeable total at the Wankhede Stadium wherein a team batting first have won a majority of the games with the exception being Australia versus Afghanistan. The Kiwis possess a lot of firepower in their ranks, and that could come in handy on a decent track which is known for helping the batters as well as the bowlers.
Threats
The Black Caps' major threat could be the find of the tournament -- Rachin Ravindra. The young all-rounder has scored 565 runs so far and could add more to his tally. His wicket early on could revitalise the Indian team but if the southpaw carries on, the Men In Blue might be in trouble.