ODI WC 2023: India have upper hand against New Zealand in semifinal, check reason

High-Flying India will take on New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Though, the Kiwis are considered the nemesis of the Men in Blue in major ICC tournaments, several experts feel that India have an upper hand against the Black Caps in the mega event this time.

Let’s have a look at some of the major weaknesses of the Black Caps that make India favourite against them…

Lack of depth in bowling

There is clearly lack of depth in New Zealand’s bowling department. While Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson head up an impressive pace trio and Mitchell Santner has established himself as an accomplished spinner. However, to extract 10 overs of bowling from the likes of all-rounders Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra will be a tough task for the Kiwis against the rampaging Indian batters.

Missing X-factor

The Kiwis have missed the X-Factor in the mega event so far which could affect them in the crucial semifinal. The Black Caps have struggled a lot in this tournament. Moreover, they have not beaten a team that has qualified for the semifinal.

Lack of consistency

The Kiwis have lacked consistency throughout the tournament. Though they have picked up at the right time, their poor show against some big teams will pose serious doubt in their mind while competing with the formidable Indians on their home turf in the crucial match.