Finally, the Champions Trophy has all its semi-finalists: South Africa, Australia, India, and New Zealand. But the drama is far from over. It’s like having all the right pieces of a puzzle but none in the right place. No one knows who will face whom and in which semi-final. But this match will provide answers to all those questions.
As it stands, New Zealand and India occupy the first and second positions, respectively, on the table. If we go by how the teams are currently placed, India will face South Africa, and New Zealand will face Australia in the semifinals. But here’s the (un)fun part: if India win this final group stage game, they will leapfrog the Kiwis to the top, confirming their match-up in the semi-final against Australia in Dubai.
It still hasn’t completely untangled. Logistical issues want to have their say as well. With India in the mix, one of the semi-finals needs to be played in Dubai. But neither South Africa nor Australia (or anyone else on the planet, for that matter) know which of them will do so. The packed schedule doesn’t help either. There is only a two-day gap between the final group stage game and the first semi-final. This leaves the Group B teams with virtually no time to acclimate to the conditions in the UAE. To tackle this, both Australia and South Africa have been flown to Dubai, where one will stay depending on the result of this match. The other will fly back to Pakistan, rendering their trip pointless.
Team Overview:
India might need to digress from the team combination that has earned them two games. The reasons behind these changes, if and when made, are plenty, but not more important that this is a high-stakes game and New Zealand, currently, are as daunting an opposition as it gets. Another factor is, of course, workload, especially when considering Dubai’s conditions. India have only a day’s rest between the semi-final and this game, so shuffling the team is not only necessary but inevitable. This will also help them to test their bench strength in this game to be certain that their armory is fully functional to be utilised when needed.
A solid batting lineup, lethal spinners, and fast bowlers who do just enough to keep things steady; this is the recipe for New Zealand’s success in this tournament. Consequently, they have every reason to believe their dominance will hold up in Dubai too. Although this venue would not be as home-like for the Kiwis as Pakistan’s pitches were, where they tour at least once a year, their spinners have largely been their most crucial strength this tournament and they would love to exploit the assistance Dubai has in store.
There is, however, a selection headache for the Kiwis, and that is: Will Daryl Mitchell find a place in the side? Having missed the game against Bangladesh due to illness, his replacement, Rachin Ravindra, cashed in on the opportunity and smashed a ton. The top-order batters look just as indispensable. New Zealand must decide how they will utilize the wealth of incredible options they have without disturbing the team’s balance.
Head-to-Head Matches:
India and New Zealand have matched up in 118 ODI games to date. Out of these, India were the better side in 60 games, and New Zealand managed to get past them in 50. 8 games ended without any result.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Dubai’s surface, in this tournament, has acted as sluggish as it gets. This has helped spinners and slow bowlers to reap immense rewards. This is also part of why India have thrived here. There will likely not be a stark contrast in the conditions from what it was seen during the Pakistan vs India game. Spinners will hold sway; that is needless to say. The key for the pacers would be to take the pace off the ball and force the batters to err. India have won both their group stage games by batting second.
Prediction:
Both teams are unbeaten. Both teams are in the semi-finals. Naturally, it is hard to predict who will be on the better side. However, India have an advantage, having played all their Champions Trophy games, so far, in Dubai. And this advantage could very well be the difference between both sides.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: Tapmad, PTV Sport, Ten Sports, Myco App
India: Star Sports Network, Network 18, JioCinema App
UK: Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Action, Sky Sport App
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ, Sky Sports Now, Sky Go
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport Network
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV, T Sports, Toffee app
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV, Sirasa TV
USA: Willow TV
Caribbean: ESPN Caribbean App
MENA: StarzPlay, CricLife Max, CricLife Max 2
