Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh): When Australia meet their neighbours New Zealand in a cricketing clash, Down Under’s fiercest rivalry comes into play. Till now, the mighty Aussies with all their firepower and arrogance with the bat and ball, have dominated the diffident Kiwis.
Over the years, the biggest heartbreak for the Kiwis has been the dismal loss to Australia in the Finals of the 2015 World Cup at Melbourne where the bigness of the occasion with a 93,000 record crowd making quite some noise, took away their confidence. Despite the presence of greats like Brendan Maccullum, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, and Daniel Vittori, the Kiwis were bowled out for just 183 runs in 45 overs. The Aussies took just 33 overs to win their fifth World Cup title, with seven wickets.
As Ricky Ponting had back then said, “It is difficult to find any chunks in the squad”, this time too, the Australians are back in the game after what a skipper like Michael Clarke would have said, “ a kick up our backside”.
Starting off disastrously with two defeats, including the one they lost to India in a low-scoring match at Chennai, the wizards of Oz have bounced back with a ferocity few can stitch up so fast. Three wins on the trot, trouncing Pakistan on the way, Glenn Maxwell scoring a 43-ball century against the smarting Dutchmen, David Warner polishing up his bat with centuries and Adam Zampa emerging from ruins to mark three four-wicket hauls — they are back in the semifinal reckoning with a bang.
New Zealand, who have till now been in six World Cup semifinals, having lost the only final they reached in 2015, have been playing their game with a very homegrown strategy that gives premium to quick adaptability, tenacity, squeeze-the-batsmen gameplay, and celestial fielding abilities. Right now, they are notches above the Australians on the tally, having lost the top spot only recently to India, while the Aussies are in the fourth spot.
The Kiwis were the top graders till they lost to India. They had won all their four matches till then and sported a robust net run rate of 1.96. However, when the two meet at Dharamsala on Saturday afternoon, it will be the revival of the trans-Tasman rivalry thousands of km away from home.
With the Aussies strong on record and recent wins, it will be for Tom Latham’s men, and the pep talk from their injured skipper Kane Williamson, to tide over the battle in the mind. On paper, the Kiwis are a sorted lot with foolproof strategies for all oppositions. With Aussies, whom they know much better than others, their weaponry needs to get armed with confidence, courage, and a will to score against their perpetual nemesis.
This would be Australia’s first in Dharamsala in this campaign, whereas the Kiwis have been playing here almost consistently. They are well aware of the conditions under the mountains here and should be better prepared to go one up this time. Their quicks Trent Bolt, Matt Henry, and Lockie Ferguson have led their attacks breaking partnerships, getting early wickets, and generating some stuff even on flat surfaces, much like Pat Cummins, Mitchel Starc, and the veteran Josh Hazelwood.
And if the Aussies are boasting of Adam Zampa, Mitchell Santner has been the Kiwi muscle of guile and turn. All that the Kiwis need to do now is go into the match with just one thing — mental strength to stand up to their big brother. Rest, as, we would say, will make history for them.
That of course, and a toss win at the nippy and dewy-eyed Dharamsala which will be hosting its last match of this World Cup after a syrupy turn with light and sound shows, misty visitations, and the colours of the divine hill state.
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