According to seamer Trent Boult, New Zealand’s victory over 1996 champions Sri Lanka by five wickets has put them in an advantageous position for a semi-final clash with India at the World Cup. Boult’s impressive 3-37 helped restrict Sri Lanka to 171, allowing New Zealand to quickly chase down the target and snap their run of four straight defeats, finishing the pool stage campaign with 10 points from nine games.
Assuming no shock results in the upcoming fixtures, New Zealand should progress to the last four and meet unbeaten India in Mumbai on Nov. 15. Boult expressed his excitement about potentially facing India, especially considering the hosts’ strong form and the appeal of playing at a great ground. He mentioned, “You couldn’t script it any better.”
In the 2019 semi-final, India lost to New Zealand. However, in this edition, India managed to beat New Zealand earlier in Dharamsala. Boult acknowledged uncertainty about the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium but mentioned that history suggests it’s a good wicket. Despite recognizing India’s strong players, he also expressed eagerness to take on the challenge, stating, “Pressure does things to the best of players at any time.”
Boult emphasized the excitement of potentially facing India in front of 1.5 billion people, acknowledging the enormous significance of the match. Overall, he conveyed confidence in New Zealand’s readiness to take on the challenge, noting, “I feel like we’ve done all we can from our point of view and we’ll wait and see what happens.”
With the prospect of facing India looming, Boult’s anticipation and confidence reflect New Zealand’s readiness for this crucial stage of the World Cup. Regardless of the outcome, the stage is set for an electrifying showdown between New Zealand and India.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
