India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup semi-final: Rohit Sharma-led Team India has performed well in the ICC World Cup 2023 so far as the team thrashed all other teams with comprehensive margins. Indian cricket team will play its last league match against the Netherlands on Sunday and is expected to enter the semi-final against New Zealand with a clean slate. One of the major reasons for India’s terrific performance in the World Cup is their sharp bowling attack with pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami being phenomenal but former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly still thinks that this is not the best-ever Indian pace attack.
Sourav Ganguly was however quick to add that it is a big difference when a pacer like Jasprit Bumrah is in the team as then it helps to create pressure on the opponents from both ends. The former skipper added that the presence of Jasprit Bumrah on the field has a massive impact on the other two pacers as well.
“I can’t say this is the best-ever Indian pace attack to date. In the 2003 World Cup, (Ashish) Nehra, Zaheer (Khan), and (Javagal) Srinath also bowled brilliantly,” NDTV quoted Sourav Ganguly as saying on Sports Tak. “But yeah, it’s exciting to see Bumrah, Shami and Siraj bowl. It’s a big difference when you have Bumrah. There’s pressure from both ends as it is always about bowing in pairs. Bumrah makes a massive impact on the other two as well,” he added.
The graph of Mohammed Shami has seen a complete overhaul in the ICC World Cup 2023 as he was not included in the playing XI in the initial few games and only made his entry after all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. Sourav Ganguly also shared his opinion on this factor and said Shami should have played in the XI a lot earlier.
“Yes, Shami should have played in the XI a lot earlier. Look at the impact he has made,” said Ganguly.
India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup semi-final
In what can be called a repeat of ICC World Cup 2019, India and New Zealand finished on number 1 and 4. The two teams will face each other in the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 15 November. Indian fans will keep their fingers crossed as we all know how dangerous the Kiwis can be in the knockout stages. India lost the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand by 18 runs, but this time Rohit Sharma-led Indian side will enter the grounds with the zeal of revenge.
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Updated: 11 Nov 2023, 08:00 PM IST