NZ banking on experienced players

Mumbai, November 13

New Zealand will lean on the experience of senior players to tackle the “threat” posed by a rampant India in their World Cup semifinal here today, says opening batter Devon Conway.

New Zealand, who finished fourth on the points table after the 45-match league round, have a dominant record against India in the knockout stage of ICC events.

The Black Caps beat them in the semifinals of the 2019 edition and in the final of the World Test Championship in 2021.

“We all know how good India are. They are carrying a lot of momentum (and) they have a strong squad,” Conway shared his thoughts in a video posted by New Zealand Cricket.

“But we are looking forward to that challenge. It is exciting for us to play against the host nation in the semifinal. We know they are going to be a threat, but we are looking forward to that challenge,” he added.

“We can acknowledge this is another special occasion for us. We are fortunate enough to have a lot of experience in our camp — guys who have been in these situations before. We can lean on those guys and it is very exciting as I can say,” he said.

New Zealand have lost four out of their last five games but the Kiwis are focused on making it to the final.

“It is one of our goals to be in the World Cup final. It is nice to be one step closer to that goal, everyone is very excited. We’ve been playing some good cricket. For us, it’s about continuing to do what we do. The rest will take care of itself,” he added.