The strength of the Kiwi team in the India-New Zealand match is their opening pair. India will use Varun Chakravarthy against Finn Allen and Axar Patel against the middle-order. Bumrah and Hardik Pandya can also play important roles in the match.
This story is a bit like David and Goliath. On one side, Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand team, which no one considered a contender for the title. On the other hand, Team India, one of the most powerful teams in this format. The match is on the same ground where Rohit and Kohli’s tears were shed. So will history repeat itself or will India complete the revenge?
If Team India has to become champion, then it will have to win some important matches against New Zealand at any cost. Captain Surya’s biggest weapons here will be Varun Chakraborty, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah. The New Zealand team is not very aggressive like India, but they are experts in tactics. How they defeated South Africa in the semi-finals is the biggest proof of this. He trapped the Proteas’ batting strategy and then thrashed their bowlers. The biggest strength of the Kiwi team is their opening pair – Finn Allen and Tim Seifert. These two have scored 48% of New Zealand’s runs in the World Cup.
The Ahmedabad pitch will be like heaven for the batsmen. Here both pace and bounce will be available, and the spinners may also get some help. New Zealand’s record against pace bowling in this tournament has been excellent. The strike rate of Kiwi batsmen is 177. Finn Allen alone is above 220 and he has been out only twice against the Pacers. This is where India will use Varun Chakravarthy and Bumrah.
The Finn Allen who is on fire against the pacers is also seen to be a threat to the spinners, especially the mystery spinners. In this World Cup, mystery spinners like Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mahish Tikshana have sent Allen to the pavilion in the powerplay itself. That means Varun can also get a chance in power play only. This will be the best opportunity for Varun, who is struggling with poor form, to regain confidence.
On the other hand, Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh will be a big challenge for Seifert. Both have dismissed Seifert 2-2 times. Seifert’s strike rate against Bumrah is only 124. If India disposes of the openers quickly, New Zealand’s middle order will open up. This is where Akshar Patel can establish his dominance. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips are the big names in the Kiwi middle order.
Mitchell may not have been in form, but Phillips has scored 176 runs in the tournament at a strike rate of 160. Akshar Patel can prove to be a trump card against these two. Akshar has dismissed Phillips 3 times and Mitchell 2 times in his career. Both of them have an average of less than 20 against left arm spinners, while Phillips has only 10. That means, in the middle overs, Akshar can change the course of the match.
Apart from all these, there is another name – Hardik Pandya. Hardik’s record in Ahmedabad is better than any other player in the team. Hardik has scored 227 runs in the T20 International here, which includes 16 sixes. Also took 9 wickets. Jasprit Bumrah has also taken 6 wickets in Ahmedabad. Hardik’s 4 overs can prove to be as valuable as Bumrah’s.
But there is also a danger. India’s left-handed batsmen will have to be wary of off-spinner Cole McConchie. In the semi-final against South Africa, McConchie bowled just one over and dismissed two big lefty batsmen – Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock. At the same time, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner will also be ready for Sanju Samson.