Warm Up Match ICC World Cup 2019
India Vs New Zealand Played at Kingston, London
Brief Scorecard
New Zealand 180/4 in 37.1 overs (LPRL Taylor 77, K. Williamson 67) beat India 179 All Out (R Jadeja 54, HH Pandya 30, Kuldeep Jadab 19, Virat Kohli 18, T Boult 4/33, J DS Neesham 3/26) by 6 wickets
The traditional weakness of Indian team adjusting to moving deliveries on juicy wicket got exposed once more as pace battery of New Zealand bruised, battered and pummeled them to pulp .India got bundled out in 39.2 overs scoring well below par 179. New Zealand required 37.1 overs to win huge and handsome winning by 6 wickets. The runners up of 2015 world cup let off strong signal to rest of the title aspirant that this time a team has to play really well to offset Kiwis challenge.
Warm up matches are for getting teams to tune before main event .It often does not mean big deal. Yet momentum is created, confidence is built. India is top dog in the tournament. Crushing them such ruthlessly would give shot in the arm to the Kiwis. On the other hand India coming fresh from slow, low wickets playing T20s in hot humid conditions will have to redo lot of home works before the tournament proper.
Their only other game is against sub continent neighborBangladesh will be no less challenging at all.
All were talking about run feast in England this time on flat wickets and high caliber batting of top teams. But many forgot that on overcast swinging condition how a quality pace attack can decimate a strong batting confusing and confounding them.
Wicket had pace to start with and it was not a great decision for Kohli winning the toss and electing to bat unless he wanted to test his batting resources under testing conditions. His decision backfired as top quality Kiwi Pacers Boult, Nisham, Southee, Grandhomme soon crashed them with pace and movement in the air and off the seam.
India was reduced to 4/39 in 10.3 overs and 7/91 by the 23rd. A fighting 62 runs 9th wicket partnership between R Jadeja (54)) and HH Pandya (30) gave some respectability to Indian innings of 179 all out in 39.2 overs. Trend Boult swung at pace all through his 6.2 overs causing major damage taking 4/33, medium pacer J Neesham looked impressive with 3/26, Southee, Granhomme also bowled well in combined all round attack. Strong Indian batting looked very ordinary.
When New Zealand batted wicket eased a lot and quality top order batting of Kiwis had better skills for negotiating Indian attack. Bumrah could strike early removing Collin Munro opening in place of injured Latham. Dangerous looking Guptil also could not get to his top gear before Pandya accounted for his. But two world class batsmen Willimson and Taylor got about their task well adding match winning 114 in the 3rd wicket partnership. Taylor scored 77 while Williamson scored 67.
New Zealand won huge and handsome by 6 wickets against one of the tournament’s top dog. Indian batsmen appeared rusty, Indian pacers struggled pitching the ball at right spot. Off course 180 is never a good enough target defending against quality batsmen. India needs a lot of soul searching too soon to bounce back. But it is professional cricket. Teams adjust quickly at this level. None should dismiss India as it could one of their off days at work. But at the same none should take away the credit from tweeting Kiwis.
BDST: 1029 HRS, MAY 26, 2019
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