Dubai: After opening match defeats to Pakistan, India and New Zealand meet in Dubai wanting to get their respective T20 World Cup campaigns back on track.
For fans around the world, India versus New Zealand in recent years has been box office viewing. From the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final, to the inaugural World Test Championship final, a rivalry of sorts has been forged.
While New Zealand had the final say in both of those matches, they have no bearing on what lies ahead today: a potential T20 World Cup classic in the heat of Dubai.
Before the tournament, New Zealand and India most likely earmarked each other for their toughest games in Group 2 of the T20 World Cup. Now, the pair look at the fixture as a potentially make-or-break meeting.
After struggling with the ferocity of Shaheen Afridi’s pace and swing, India’s top order will no doubt face New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult in similar circumstances, though it was spinner Mitchell Santner and quick Tim Southee that Kane Williamson went to first in their first match. For the Black Caps, improvement with the bat is also crucial. Despite five players reaching double figures in their first match, no player passed 30, in a team display that lacked rhythm or pace.
Desperate to avoid slumping to two defeats to begin their campaigns, it would take something special from either team making the final four with a loss. It puts an extra emphasis on the fixture, with little margin for error from here on in.
Fixture Details
The Match: India v New Zealand
Time: 18:00 Sunday 31 October
Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai
