The prospect of invincibility awaits team India. Unbeaten in eight in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, the Men in Blue could make history if they beat the Netherlands in their final league stage game; no team has previously won nine matches in a row in an ODI World Cup, with Sri Lanka (1996) and Australia (2003), coming close - eight - when the entire tournament could be won in as many games. Of course, India could yet finish the 2023 edition with 11 wins, that is, if they go all the way! (Match Blog | Streaming | Preview | Scorecard | Key Battles)
Standing between India and another World Cup final are New Zealand. The Blackcaps made hard work of qualifying, losing four games on the trot after an ubeaten start. Pakistan and Afghanistan threatened to leapfrog them on the eve of the semi-finals, but the 2015 and 2019 finalists held steady, beating Sri Lanka in their last league match to join India, South Africa, and Australia in the knockouts.
India, of course, are no strangers to the threat the Blackcaps possess. The pair have met ten times in ICC ODI World Cups, with New Zealand winning five to India's four. New Zealand, crucially, also beat India en route to the 2019 final, before losing the trophy bout against hosts England in dramatic fashion.
Luck has abandoned New Zealand in World Cup knokcouts thus far; the Blackcaps lost both the 2015 and 2019 editions against the host in the final. Fate has something different planned for Kane Williamson and Co this time, however, with a contest against the hosts coming early. India have been rampant even in their victories, evidenced by the maulings delivered to Sri Lanka and South Africa in their final few games, and will be considered the favourites to progress to the last stage.
Before New Zealand, though, India will have to skip past the Netherlands' challenge in their final league match - that too, on Diwali evening! There is a gulf of class between the two, but the Men in Blue cannot afford to take their eye of the ball here; Netherlands have earned their victories in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup by playing some brilliant cricket at times and will be aiming to spoil the premature celebrations that have begun popping up all over the country.
The Dutchmen are tenth in the table after eight games but still within touching distance of the eighth spot - the last remaining berth for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Should they be successful in ending India's streak of victories by a decent margin, the Netherlands will move ahead of cricketing heavyweights Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the table, securing a place in the ICC event.
There could be a few potential banana skins for India in their match against the Netherlands. The Dutch have impressed with the ball in the tournament, banking on the firepower that Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, and veteran Roelof van der Merwe bring to the table. Their batting unit, however, hasn't matched up to their bowling prowess - a key reason for their many defeats - but it did show up against South Africa in one of the upsets of the competition.
As such, India will be wary of any potential surprise the Netherlands have in store for them - if the Men in Blue keep their foot fixed on the pedal, as it has been throughout the tournament, another victory should be a formality.
