ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: The penultimate step to glory

Once the World Cup schedule was drawn up last summer, there were a few marquee fixtures marked up by coaches, think tanks and fans alike. Sure enough, the Indian team-management would’ve earmarked the clash with Pakistan in Manchester on June 16.

Another equally momentous fixture at Old Trafford Cricket Ground awaits the Men in Blue, as they face New Zealand in a World Cup semi-final encounter here on Tuesday.

Played 9, Won 7, Lost 1 and 1 no-result. If that doesn’t highlight just what a romp it has been for India in the round-robin stage of the World Cup, one wonders what will. 

The rollicking run allowed India to emerge as the most successful team of the tournament and finish top in the points-table. Compare this to the unbeaten run Australia had in 2003 and 2007, and yet India’s achievement overshadows the formidable record of the five-time World Champions.

While India are considered overwhelming favourites for the World Cup 2019 semi-finals, New Zealand are no pushovers and this could be quite a contest.

PERENNIAL UNDERDOGS
New Zealand enjoyed an equally strong start, securing three straight wins before the India wash-out. Narrow triumphs over South Africa and West Indies followed, before Kane Williamson’s side tasted defeat for the first time in the competition at the hands of Pakistan.

That loss would mark the start of a tricky period for the them-and they were subsequently beaten by Australia and England to ensure they enter the semi-finals on the back of three successive defeats.

Hence, Kane Williamson & Co enter the semi-finals as firm underdogs and have an uphill task when they take on the in-form Indians. The Kiwi’s big guns Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, and Trent Boult have to fire on Tuesday, if they are to feature in the second successive World Cup final.

One co-incidence the clash on Tuesday will have is, it will be a deja-vu moment for the two captains.

Kohli and Kane Williamson had led their sides at the Under-19 World Cup in 2008. India defeated New Zealand in the semi-final as Kohli scored 43 and also took two wickets, including that of Williamson. India went on to lift the World Cup. 

This will be the first time that New Zealand and India will square off in a World Cup knockout match.

TEAM BALANCE
The success of Rohit and Rahul at the top of the order has been a pleasant surprise for India, but the one little odd letdown has been Kohli’s pending World Cup 2019 century.

It’s been termed a letdown only because of Kohli’s appetite to score big runs and convert his starts into hundreds. Somehow, it hasn’t happened yet but his five consecutive half-centuries ensured India’s new top three lived up to its billing. This World Cup alone, they have struck a mind-blowing average of 93.94.

If Rohit has led India’s supremacy with the bat, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have excelled with the same effectiveness with the ball. And to think that Shami wasn’t even in India’s starting XI during the first three games.

The spinner too, have done relatively well-but recent struggles of Kuldeep Yadav could pave way for Ravindra Jadeja, who brings lot more to table apart from his tidy spells.

SAURASHTRA WARRIOR
Between August 2017 and August 2018, Jadeja didn’t get to play a single ODI. Even then, he was never completely out of reckoning, as seen from his inclusion for the 2018 Asia Cup.

Ten months after returning to India’s ODI fold then, Jadeja featured in this World Cup. Just like for the spinner back in September, Saturday was an important marker for the team.

As Jadeja combined with Yadav one game before the all-important semi-final, the question needs to be asked - has India’s best spin combination changed? Perhaps Kohli would go with a new combination of Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal. It would indeed be foolish to already envision India in the final, although its chances are high.

PROBABLE PLAYING XI:
India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro/Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson.

PITCH REPORT
Old Trafford is a pretty good surface to bat on with nice carry and pace. The ball will spin as there could be some sharp turn and bounce on offer from the spinners. The rather big boundaries will provide the spinners more confidence to bowl while the fast outfields will make the pacers hit the right lengths.