India vs New Zealand Odds, Prediction & Betting Tips
In the first semi-final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup we have a rematch of one of the semi-finals in 2019 as undefeated hosts India face a New Zealand side that lost four of their last five group stage games.
This promises to be a fascinating encounter and Matt Banks is here to preview the matchup.
Place an In-Play bet of £10 on Wednesday's match between India v New Zealand and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on the other semi-final between South Africa v Australia on Thursday.
- Place a £10 In-Play bet on India vs New Zealand
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India are overwhelming favourites to win this game, but you can never doubt New Zealand in ICC events, and India’s record in knockout games is dreadful.
Since lifting the Champions Trophy ten years ago, India have made the knockouts in eight consecutive ICC tournaments and failed to win any. That includes four final defeats and four semi-final defeats.
This India team does feel different, however. They are on home soil and have looked like the best team in the tournament by a mile. The home nation has won the last three World Cups, and it looks likely that this year will be no different.
New Zealand famously missed out on their first World Cup in 2019 by ‘the barest of margins’ and will be desperate to go one better this time around.
It’s been a tough few weeks for them, losing to India, Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa but they still have a strong side capable of an upset, led by new star Rachin Ravindra who has burst onto the scene with 565 runs so far in the tournament including three hundreds.
India vs New Zealand Tips
Virat Kohli = Player of the Match
If there is going to be one man to break India’s knockout game curse, it’s Virat Kohli.
He leads the tournament’s run-scorers table with 594 runs in nine innings at an average of 99 and is arguably in the form of his life.
He is just one hundred away from passing Sachin Tendulkar for the most ODI tons for India, and while it would be better for the narrative for him to do it in a winning effort in the final, we have a feeling he’ll get it done here.
Mohamed Shami = Top India Bowler
Mohamed Shami is a genuine all-time white ball great.
He is now India’s all-time highest wicket taker in World Cups and is in absolutely lethal form in this tournament.
He’s looked unplayable at times, getting movement where no one else can and finding a perfect line and length.
He has played just five games and has still managed to take 16 wickets at an average of 9.56 and will make things extremely hard for the Blackcaps top order here.
