After convincingly triumphing over all nine opponents in the World Cup 2023, India is set to face New Zealand in the first semi-final on November 15 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Anticipated as a thriller-packed game, the India vs New Zealand semi-final is expected to unfold with high stakes, possibly going down to the final ball.
In tournaments like the ICC World Cup 2023, the statistics seem unfavorable for India, considering New Zealand’s dominance. Except for the current edition, the last time we secured a World Cup win against the Kiwis was in the 2003 World Cup. Notably, India didn’t play against them in 2007, 2011, or the 2015 World Cup.
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Reviewing the last 5 World Cup clashes between India and New Zealand:
- ICC World Cup 2023: In Dharamshala, India managed to overcome the baggage of Kiwi dominance, securing a victory by 4 wickets. Virat Kohli’s stellar innings of 95 and Mohammed Shami’s ferocious spell of 5/54 were instrumental in the win.
- ICC World Cup 2019 semi-finals: The memory is etched in every Indian cricket fan’s mind when MS Dhoni got run out, marking the end of India’s hope in the semi-final against New Zealand. The Kiwis won by 18 runs, leading to a thrilling World Cup final against England.
- ICC World Cup 2003: India, led by Zaheer Khan’s impressive spell of 4/42, secured a victory over New Zealand in a low-scoring thriller. New Zealand was all out for 146, and despite early losses of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, India clinched the match.
- ICC World Cup 1999: In the Super 8 match of the ICC World Cup 1999, Matt Horne and Roger Twose guided New Zealand to a 5-wicket victory against India. Ajay Jadeja’s magnificent innings of 76 runs was a standout performance for India.
- ICC World Cup 1992: Despite Sachin Tendulkar’s impressive 84 runs, India faced a 4-wicket defeat against New Zealand. Mark Greatbatch punished Indian bowlers, and Manoj Prabhakar was the lone successful bowler with 3 wickets in that match.