In the vibrant cricketing panorama of Mumbai, New Zealand’s cricketers Rachin Ravindra and Lockie Ferguson found solace in a lighthearted moment amid their rigorous training session at the illustrious Wankhede Stadium on Monday, as captured by the lens of AFP.
As the cricketing spectacle unfolds, Lockie Ferguson, undeterred by New Zealand’s tumultuous journey to the World Cup semi-final against the formidable India in Mumbai, dismisses concerns, asserting, “We all start from zero again.”
India, the tournament hosts, have emerged as the epitome of form, clinching victory in all nine of their group matches. With aspirations for a third World Cup title, the Men in Blue seek to replicate their 2011 triumph on home soil. Conversely, New Zealand embarked on a rollercoaster, securing victories in their initial four round-robin games, only to falter in the subsequent four. Nevertheless, they concluded the pool stage with a convincing five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.
Although the Black Caps have yet to seize a men’s ODI World Cup, their track record as seasoned tournament performers is undeniable, having reached the finals in 2015 and 2019. The impending semi-final marks their ninth appearance in the competition’s 13-edition history.
Reflecting on the journey, Ferguson acknowledges, “We had a couple of close games that didn’t quite go our way,” citing a rain-affected match where New Zealand succumbed to Pakistan on the DLS method despite posting over 400 runs. Nevertheless, he emphasizes that the past nine games have paved the way for their current position, emphasizing that, “come Wednesday, it’ll be a good challenge.”
India’s dominance in the tournament has been evident, crushing several opponents en route to the semi-final at captain Rohit Sharma’s home ground. The previous encounter with New Zealand saw them work hard for a four-wicket victory, propelled by Daryl Mitchell’s spectacular 130. Despite the formidable challenge, Ferguson praises India’s potent bowling attack, acknowledging Mohammed Shami’s impactful 5-54.
As the semi-final showdown looms, Ferguson anticipates a stern contest, noting, “Playing India, there’s a lot of ebbs and flows. It’s not going to be any different come this game. We’ve just got to tighten up as much as we can.”
Reflecting on history, Ferguson recalls New Zealand’s pivotal role in India’s World Cup exit four years ago in England, a close-fought victory in a Manchester semi-final spread across two days due to rain. Underscoring the evolution since then, he states, “Four years have gone past, we’ve played a lot of cricket in between, and both teams I’m sure are raring to go come Wednesday.”
By AFP