(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] As the countdown to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-finals narrow to less than 24 hours, anticipation and reminiscence fill the air at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where hosts India are set to face New Zealand on Wednesday.
The cricketing world vividly recalls the last ODI World Cup, where the underdog Black Caps, led by Kane Williamson, stunned the hot favorites, India, in the semis, claiming victory by 18 runs.
Fast forward to the present, and both teams find themselves adorned with similar tags, as India sailed into the knockouts undefeated in the league stage, while New Zealand quietly secured its spot.
Addressing the media on the eve of this highly anticipated clash, Williamson, the skipper of the Kiwi side, acknowledged the ‘underdog’ label but emphasized that the team performing better on the given day holds the key to victory.
“The underdog thing.. from what you guys write, I don’t think it has changed too much. But that’s fine. India have been exceptional. They are one of the, if not the best teams going around, playing cricket that matches that,” Williamson said as quoted in the pre-match presser.
“But we know as well, on that day if we play our best cricket, it certainly gives us the best chance. Come finals time, anything can happen,” he added.
He went on to emphasize the unpredictable nature of the tournament, highlighting that every game in this World Cup has been challenging.
“Every game in this tournament is a tricky one as we have seen throughout. Any team can beat anybody on that days because of the quality on both sides and also the change in conditions also has an impact. For us, it’s great to have got to the semi-finals stage and take a fresh approach because it does start again,” Williamson concluded.