Hosts India are in an unenviable position as they take on New Zealand in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening. India are one match away from making history as they will become the first team to win back-to-back titles in the T20 World Cup.
Record century by opener Allen powers Kiwis to 9-wicket win over Proteas, storm into final
They will also become the first team to win the coveted title three times. India will be considered slight favourites as they had comfortably beaten New Zealand in the recent bilateral series in India.
India survive Bethell onslaught in a thriller against England to enter 2nd consecutive final
However, the weight of history weighs heavily against them. It is like a millstone around their necks. New Zealand are yet to lose a game to India in the T20 World Cup. Will India make it a first time and thereby create history? Or will New Zealand maintain their unbeaten run against India in the T20 World Cup?
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Let us look at how each of their previous meetings pan out.
T20 World Cup 2007: New Zealand show short-form blueprint in Johannesburg
Daniel Vettori gave the world a glimpse of the value of left-arm orthodox spinners in the game’s new format as he claimed 4 for 20 and struck a quickfire 15 off five balls to push the Kiwis past India in group play at the inaugural T20 World Cup.
Defending 190, Vettori brought himself on with India ahead at 76 for 1 in a chase of 191, claiming Robin Uthappa and now-India coach Gautam Gambhir (51 from 33 balls) in his first spell.
Fellow spinner Jeetan Patel removed Yuvraj Singh even as a runout denied MS Dhoni (24). Vettori then returned to deny any late fightback with the wickets of Irfan Pathan and Dinesh Karthik.
Early T20 expert Brendon McCullum had laid New Zealand’s foundation, making a quick 45, before flurries from Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram put up the ultimately insurmountable score.
T20 World Cup 2016: New Zealand spinners overshadow India adversaries in ragging Nagpur
A square turner meant a low-scoring thriller was on the cards, though New Zealand were emphatic in a defense of 126, bundling out India for just 79 with nine wickets claimed between three spinners.
Corey Anderson’s 34 off 42 balls proved to be a vital knock some 90 minutes later, as was Luke Ronchi’s 21 not out off 11 deliveries, coming in at No.8 as the Kiwis stacked their side with batting.
Virat Kohli (23) and MS Dhoni (30) were the only India batters to provide any resistance. With Kohli falling at 39 for 5 to Ish Sodhi in the ninth over of the chase the fight was almost over for the hosts.
Not even Dhoni, so revered for his finishing, was able to drag his side out of their hole, the ninth player dismissed in the 18th over, with the final wicket of Ashish Nehra taken three balls later.
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Off-spinner Nathan McCullum (2 for 15), Sodhi (3 for 18) and Mitchell Santner (4 for 11) were only denied a full set of 10 wickets for the spinners by Adam Milne, who claimed Nehra to finish off the job.
T20 World Cup 2021: New Zealand bowlers stifle India in Dubai
India could never wriggle out of the New Zealand bowlers’ clutches when the sides met in Dubai at the 2021 edition, limping to just 110 for 7, well short of defendable score.
Trent Boult bookended the bowling effort with a wicket in the Powerplay and two in the 19th over, with the middle dominated by Ish Sodhi (2 for 17 from four overs), Tim Southee (1 for 26 from four overs) and Adam Milne (1 for 30 from four overs).
Mitchell Santner, despite not picking up a wicket (0/15), was a clear threat in the eyes of India, bowled 11 dot balls to continue the unrelenting Black Caps push.
The early flurry of Martin Guptil and Daryl Mitchell at the top of the order quashed any idea of an India comeback, with a huge six from a Mitchell on-drive off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja taking the wind out of the bowling side’s sails.
Mitchell finished with 49 off 35 balls before he was dismissed with his side needing just 15 runs from 44 balls with eight wickets in hand. Kane Williamson’s whip into the leg-side completed an emphatic Kiwi victory.
