Follow UsIndia have been invincible so far in the 2023 World Cup, but the league stage is over, and it’s time for the knockouts. It’s a different beast altogether and nobody knows it better than India. Rohit Sharma knows it, and so does Kane Williamson. Yes, it’s once again going to be India vs New Zealand in the semi-final of the 50-over showpiece event. The Black Caps have a superb record against India in ICC events, but it’s the latter who are once again the red-hot favourites.
“I think every game in this tournament is a tricky one. I think as we've seen throughout, any team can beat anybody on the day, and whether that's obviously the quality in both sides, but also the changing conditions and how that has an impact. So yeah, I mean, for us, it's great to have got to the final stages and then take a fresh approach because it does start again,” said Williamson before the first semi-final in Mumbai on Wednesday (November 15).
“I mean the underdog thing - from what you guys write I don't think it has changed too much, but that's fine you know and India have been exceptional. One of the, if not the best team going around and are playing cricket that matches that, but we know as well that on our day when we play our best cricket, it certainly gives us the best chance, and come finals time anything can happen.
“We know it's going to be a really tough challenge. They're a side that's been playing extremely well, but we also know come finals time, everything sort of starts again and it's all about the day. So, for us as a team, it's very much the focus on our cricket again. We've played some good cricket throughout. We've had a couple of narrow losses and a few wins along the way which have put us in this position we're in. So, we're excited about the challenge ahead.”
It’s a repeat of the 2019 semi-final and we all know what transpired across those two days in Manchester. “I think the game will be a little bit different. It might be played over one day rather than two, looking at the weather, but at the same time teams work hard to get to this stage. They have to play a lot of good cricket within the format or the structure of the tournament to get here over such a long period of time. Both teams are looking to play their best cricket and compete in the best way that they can.”
Williamson also spoke about India’s ploy of going with five frontline bowlers after an injury ruled Hardik Pandya out of the World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj have taken lots of wickets, while spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav has also been phenomenal in the middle overs.
“I mean look every team has a slightly different balance that they rely on and naturally with the injury to Hardik – it meant that their balance changed a little bit but certainly didn't change the outcome of what they were doing so they adjusted nicely.”
Williamson’s own form has been great despite struggling with injuries. The right-hander only featured in three games during the league stage but still managed scores of 78*, 95 and 14. “An interesting journey for sure, from sort of it not being a chance to getting close and it becoming a reality and something to target and certainly feeling really grateful to be here.
“Then to get back and break my thumb. It's not funny. No, it was quite frustrating and testing but still feeling that it hadn't ruled me out so I still was grateful for that and it's nice to be fitter than perhaps I was yesterday and be sitting here.”
He also heaped heavy praise on young Rachin Ravindra, who is currently the third-highest run-getter in the tournament. The left-hander has slammed 565 runs @ 70.62 and a strike rate of 108.44. On top of that, he has also managed to claim five wickets.
“Quite incredible really, burst onto the scene and in a big way in a role that perhaps wasn't sort of natural maybe within our environment, he did a bit of it domestically, but to do what he's done so far in this tournament with his feet firmly on the ground has been really, really special,” said Williamson.
“He's an incredibly special and talented player and a fantastic individual in the environment. It's not just the volume of runs that he's achieved so far but how he's been scoring them and how it's been geared towards trying to move the team forward. Some fantastic contributions so far and at such a young age and I'm sure we'll see plenty more of it to come.”