Former India opener Aakash Chopra rang warning bells for New Zealand ahead of the first semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2023, which will be played in Mumbai on November 15. New Zealand will face hosts India in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup semi-final.
New Zealand has been a bane for India in ICC tournaments. India lost to the Black Caps in the 2019 WC semis as well in a match that was affected by rain.
But this time, the encounter will be in India and Aakash Chopra feels that the Men in Blue have a better chance this time around. Sharing his views on the current Kiwi batch, Chopra was highly critical of the Kiwi bowlers, calling it "weak".
"The semi-final line-up is ready now. India is going to play New Zealand, and New Zealand has slightly been a bogey team for us. They trouble us a lot but thankfully we have broken that jinx. This New Zealand is not looking like the same team that used to trouble us because the bowling is looking weak. They generally don't have a bowling like this. They bowl better than this," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
He further called India a phenomenal team and doubted over New Zealand bowlers’ ability on the pitch in Mumbai.
He added: "Although Trent Boult picked up wickets in the last match, he had not been great in the entire tournament before that. Even if they play Tim Southee, not the same bowler. Lockie Ferguson is very decent but then Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra or Daryl Mitchell. There is no doubt that they know how to trouble others but will they be able to do that? I don't know. It will be a good match. It will be at the Wankhede, the conditions might suit them, but India is a phenomenal team.”
While India has come into the knockouts unbeaten, winning all 9 of their games, New Zealand has been inconsistent. The team started well before losing four matches on the trot, almost putting their semifinal hopes in jeopardy.
