New Zealand’s consistency in ODI World Cups is superb. On Wednesday, they may play of their fifth successive semifinals. After shedding last-four video games in 2007 and 2011, they’ve higher at holding their nerves higher to turn into finalists within the final two editions.
KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer throughout the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between India and Netherlands at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru(PTI)
Kiwi quick bowler, Lockie Ferguson, who took three large wickets within the 2019 last loss to England, put down New Zealand’s consistency in large occasions to staying calm.
“We sort of stick to our processes; I know it sounds a cliche, but it keeps us sort of level-headed, and naturally as Kiwis we tend to stay where our feet are, which I think is a positive. But yeah, we look forward to big tournaments,” mentioned Ferguson, who boasts a World Cup report of 31 wickets in 15 matches.
In 2019, New Zealand’s largest scalp was India within the semifinal. The Virat Kohli-led aspect had been in kind and had topped the round-robin stage however come the knockouts and the Kiwis beat them. Ferguson, who took 1/43 in his 10 overs, mentioned: “Yeah, it was a pretty spectacular game… very pleasing for us but four years have gone past…”
In this World Cup too, New Zealand gave unbeaten India the hardest battle. In Dharamsala, they posted 273 and made the India batters toil within the chase. Ferguson eliminated openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill earlier than Kohli steered the hosts to a four-wicket win.
“It was a hard-fought game. Of course, with one-day cricket and playing against India, there’s a lot of ebbs and flows. It’s not going to be any different come this game. We’ve just got to tighten up as much as we can, adjust to the wicket, see what we think will be a good score, and do our best to defend it. And if we bat first, try to put runs on the board which we think will be a good score.”
The Wankhede has been a high-scoring venue with the bowlers coming below stress bowling first. India scored 357 towards Sri Lanka right here. The further tempo generally is a double-edged sword when the boundaries are brief like right here. Ferguson, armed with a pointy bouncer, mentioned management would be the key.
“A lot of Indian grounds have been high scoring,” he mentioned. “So, it’s trying to understand what the pitch will be like and try to read what a good score on it is because those big overs, 10 runs here, 10 runs there can cost you at the back end of the innings. So, from a bowling point of view we’re trying to shut down those big overs… it’s an experience thing, an assessment thing.
“The pitch will be different again, that’s the joy of cricket, we play on a different pitch each time, so it’s hard to read two days out. But we’ve got to adapt as quick as possible come Wednesday.”
New Zealand’s tempo assault has been depleted by damage to in-form pacer Matt Henry, however Tim Southee is again. “We look good here. Matt is obviously a big hole in our side, (but) we’re still a handsome bunch. Tim Southee brings a lot of experience obviously being captain of the Test team, captain in T20s and one-days too; so, I think that experience counts for a lot.”
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
