Rohit Sharma wont the toss for India decided to bat first in the semi-final of the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday.

The men in blue have named an unchanged side from their last round robin match against the Netherlands on Sunday. New Zealand, too, have gone in unchanged from their last match.

Also Read: ICC Men’s ODI World Cup: Pitch changed at Wankhede Stadium to aid India in semi-final, say reports

With the pacers having enjoyed a better time under the lights in the evening in almost all the matches played at the Wankhede so far, this is a good toss to win for India with an in-form three-man pace attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami to back them up.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson too expressed his desire to bat first at the toss, leaving the Mumbai crowd in a frenzy.

The last time India and New Zealand faced off in a ODI World Cup semi-final, the men in blue fell just short in a rain-marred two-day contest in 2019. That match also proved to be the final international match for India’s World Cup winning captain MS Dhoni.

New Zealand have proven to be India’s biggest hurdle in ICC knockout events, and the hosts would hope to get the better of the Kiwis, who have finished as the runner-ups in the previous two editions of the World Cup.

Starting XI

India: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson (C), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (WK), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult