Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj during a practice session on the eve of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ODI match between India and New Zealand.
| Photo Credit: Deepak KR

With Australia making a dash for the semifinals and doing it the typical aggressive Aussie way, the qualifying scenario has begun to look very interesting, indeed. All eyes, though, will be on the clash between the table toppers New Zealand and India at Dharamshala.

The thin mountain air could help even the white ball to swing, especially once the sun sets and so it will be intriguing to see if India, who have opted to field first and chased down totals successfully, will be able to do so against what is arguably the tournament’s best new ball attack.

Trent Boult and Matt Henry’s swing and seam, and Ferguson’s pace against Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli is a mouth-watering prospect.

New Zealand, like India, have a good mix of new ball and spin bowlers and with great support from the fielders are able to exert pressure on the opposition. Kane Williamson’s unlucky injury opened the doors for two players and both Will Young and Rachin Ravindra have grabbed the chance eagerly and have done exactly what was expected of them. How they cope with Bumrah and Siraj at the start, and then the spin of Kuldeep and Jadeja could well decide if New Zealand get the platform for Mitchell and Co. to launch an attack later.

There’s Devon Conway, too, who has experience of playing in India and had batted really well in the IPL.

Hardik Pandya’s injury may provide a chance for Suryakumar Yadav though with India’s top three firing well and both Shreyas and Rahul settling into their jobs they may go in for the pace of Shami for the Dharamshala pitch.

Dharamshala is probably the loveliest cricketing ground in the world and fans will be hoping that the cricket between the top two teams will also be as pretty to watch.

(Professional Management Group)

India’s Virat Kohli with teammates during a practice session on the eve of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World ODI match between India and New Zealand.
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

 A mountain rivulet with clear water reflecting bright sunshine gurgled beneath the narrow bridge and the cab driver quipped: “Once Adam Gilchrist hit a six in an IPL game and the ball landed into this stream.” The nearby HPCA Stadium always offers enough interplay between nature and sport with the mighty Himalayas being a permanent backdrop.

Like the Galle Stadium fringed by the sea in Sri Lanka, Dharamshala’s cricketing outpost is another picture postcard venue. Despite the forecast for rains, this hilly terrain offering stunning vistas and swirling cold air should hopefully warm up on Sunday when India takes on New Zealand in a World Cup game. The rivals have clambered up these steep heights with four consecutive triumphs under their belts.

Having scuppered India’s World Cup dreams with a semifinal win at Manchester in the 2019 edition, New Zealand is a unit that the Men in Blue would be wary about. Yet, the host holds an edge even if the weather patterns would suit the visitors with their affinity for dipping temperatures. India will miss its injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya forcing one change in the playing eleven and it remains to be seen if more replacements are in the offing.

The batting has been in order, riding largely on the impetus that skipper Rohit Sharma generates and the assurance that Virat Kohli provides. Shubman Gill, K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have had their stints too while it would be better for the last named to be more judicious in his shot selection. Lining up against them would be the New Zealand seamers offering seductive charms around the off-stump with Tim Southee back in the reckoning, and there are adequate spinners too like Mitchell Santner.

Despite the heartbreak at Manchester, contests featuring India and New Zealand in the World Cups have offered some vignettes in the past. During a 1987 clash in Nagpur, Chetan Sharma bagged a hat-trick and the great Sunil Gavaskar (103 n.o., 88b, 10×4, 3×6) smashed his maiden ODI ton! India wouldn’t mind a repeat act from its current squad.

Right from the time it defeated England in this World Cup’s opener at Ahmedabad on October 5, New Zealand retained its momentum and got past the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. But playing against India in its home environs is a different proposition and regular skipper Kane Williamson’s absence would be felt even if stand-in captain Tom Latham has helmed his team well.

New Zealand has always been about the sum being bigger than the parts and it helps that its batting, leaning on Devon Conway, has been on the mark. And on Sunday, hopefully the weather gods would restrain damp clouds from slithering through the surrounding mountain gaps.

The teams (from):

India: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), K.L. Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (Capt. & wk), Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Will Young.

Umpires: Michael Gough and Richard Kettleborough; Third umpire: Paul Wilson; Match referee: Andrew Pycroft.

Match starts at 2 p.m.