India is all set to face New Zealand again in the semi-finals of a World Cup. Here, we take a look at three mistakes India made against New Zealand in the 2019 WC semis that they must avoid in 2023.
The game against the Kiwis in 2019 is still a hard one to forget for Indian fans. That said, the team now has a chance to take revenge. However, they need to avoid some mistakes that they made four years ago.
1) Dropping Mohammed Shami is a mistake India must avoid in 2023 semis
Not having Mohammed Shami in the playing XI was a big call that was made then. Had the player been in the XI, India might have restricted New Zealand to a smaller score in the first innings. Now, the team is unlikely to commit such a mistake again. Shami is in top form and is the most in-form pacer. Therefore, the fans can be assured that this mistake won’t be repeated.
2) Being under-confident against the New Zealand pacers
Being under-confident against the New Zealand pacers is one of the mistakes India made against New Zealand in the 2019 WC semis that they must avoid in 2023. This factor helped the Kiwis get on top of the entire batting attack. Eventually, despite having the talent, India just could not chase down the score. Trent Boult is back to form and India must be aware of this. However, like they have been doing in the ongoing campaign, they must be confident and take on the new-ball pacers.
3) Allowing Kane Williamson to settle
Despite losing an early wicket, New Zealand was able to stabilize mainly because of the calmness of Kane Williamson. This must be avoided at any cost this time around. Kane is the glue in the Kiwi batting line-up and if he finds it tough to make runs, the message that gets passed inside the dressing room may not be a desirable one for the Kiwis. Therefore, the Indian analysts must provide the best data to the coaches so that a top strategy can be devised against the Kiwi skipper.
