Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori believes the Black Caps can cause a World Cup semifinal upset against India if they can shake off their recent struggles with a fast start on Tuesday.
“New Zealand arrive in the semifinals as the outsiders, but make no mistake about it, they will still have high hopes,” Vettori said in his ICC Media column.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. “When you get on a bad run as a team, you have to return to the individual. If one man can find a performance, then that can permeate its way through to the whole team very quickly and build confidence, often within a game.
“A three-match losing streak can evaporate pretty quickly with a great ten overs at the start. Just look at South Africa against Australia this past weekend.
“That is why the start of is going to be so important. If New Zealand get off to a great start, with bat or ball, the streak will soon be forgotten.”
Vettori urged New Zealand to copy the aggressive approach shown by England when they scored 337-7 to beat India earlier in the tournament.
“England against India at Edgbaston probably showed New Zealand the way to approach setting a big total,” he said.
“Jasprit Bumrah is basically unplayable at this stage, and against England he was his usual economical self.
“But despite that, England targeted everyone else. They were aggressive from the off against the spinners, against Hardik Pandya and they even got to Mohammed Shami at the death as well.”
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