Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who was part of India's inaugural T20 World Cup win, said the encounter between India and New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE will be a close contest. India are a better side in the shorter format but New Zealand have a good record against India in the ICC events.
Gambhir feels no team has an edge over another when they meet again in the T20 World Cup later this year. India had won the T20I series 5-0 on the New Zealand tour in 2020. It was their first T20I series win in New Zealand.
"Absolutely 50-50. When you go to such a big tournament, the records are only for the media and the fans. The records do not matter for the players at all and they do not think about them as well," he said on Star Sports' Game Plan.
"Yes, you can think about your individual record. If a player is struggling against a particular bowler, that can be on his mind. But Pakistan having never won against India and India having never won against New Zealand, that never matters.
"India can definitely defeat New Zealand, you have the firepower. You have Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul - when you have batsmen and bowlers like these, it will not be easy for New Zealand," the cricketer-turned-politician added.
Gambhir lauded New Zealand for having top-quality players on their side which makes the team well-balanced. He said India will have to be at its best to take the Kiwis down in the upcoming ICC event match.
"We cannot say New Zealand are the underdogs because they are a very very well-balanced side. They have Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson, and they have the firepower in the batting. So, you will have to play good cricket," he said.
New Zealand had defeated India in the 2007 World T20 league match, at Johannesburg and the 2016 T20 World Cup Super-10 match, at Nagpur.
