India vs New Zealand
Some matches mean a mere two points . Some mean the difference between going to the next round and going home . And some are a a combination of the two .Neither a must win game for either teams , but a win here means the world to them . Today’s game of India vs New Zealand was one of them .
But the performance out in the field made it seem that India was a mere shell of their potential , while the Kiwis completely outperformed India in every regard . It started when India was asked to bat first after losing the toss . India never got the start they wanted or needed , losing Ishan Kishan early , then losing most wickets at constant intervals . We became the first team in the world cup to not score a boundary between overs 7 and 15 . New Zealand bowlers had a strangle on the batsmen , so much so that they could only score 110 at the end of 20 overs . Leading the pack was Man of the Match Ish Sodhi . He showed the true value of dot balls in a short format such as T20 , as he only picked 2 wickets in his 4 , but made the Indian batsmen work for every one of the 17 runs he gave .
In response , each one of New Zealand’s top order batsmen had no problem whatsoever in beating the Indian bowlers, with Mitchell getting out at 49 . New Zealand was overwhelmingly good in every aspect , and even though we are only 2 games in , India’s prospects look bleak . We have to win the remaining three games and pray for Afghanistan to beat New Zealand . As such India’s faith is not even in their own hands .
The contrast between this and what everyone envisioned at the start of the tournament is beyond stark . It's saddening to see a powerhouse of cricket faltering in its tracks. More so than ever because it is Virat Kohli’s last few games as T20 captain , and I feel that this team can still go the mile , and further beyond . So we must not lose heart . Until the last ball is bowled I will still believe India can win this World Cup . We might have to improve our batting , and have faith in our bowlers , but each member of this team is world class and good enough to win tournaments .
Have a great week ahead !