Rohit brushes aside 2019 WC semi-final loss against Kiwis

MUMBAI, Nov 14 (Agencies): India skipper Rohit Sharma has downplayed his team's less-than-impressive track record in knockout matches against New Zealand ahead of the eagerly anticipated semi-final clash with the Kiwis. As an in-form Indian team gears up to face New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the match serves as a poignant rematch, stirring memories of a haunting 2019 encounter between the two teams.

"No, I think it's very, you know, obviously in the back of your mind, you know what has happened in the past. But what has happened in the past is the past. What you can do today, what you can do tomorrow is what, you know, we usually talk about. So, I don't think there's much debate or much talk about what happened ten years ago or five years ago or the last World Cup as well," Rohit Sharma told the media ahead of the semi-final against New Zealand.

In that fateful match at Old Trafford, Manchester, Virat Kohli's squad, batting second in pursuit of 240 runs on the reserve day of a rain-affected semifinal, found themselves in dire straits at 5 for 3 due to early strikes from Kiwi pacemen Matt Henry and Trent Boult.

Despite resilient fifties from Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50) and Ravindra Jadeja (77) in the lower order, India fell short, succumbing to New Zealand by a mere 18 runs and exiting the World Cup. The impact of that defeat lingers, overshadowing India's flawless Round-Robin record at the 2023 World Cup, as ghosts from four years ago continue to cast their shadow.

India will try to avenge their semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Manchester in 2019, but Rohit Sharma's men are unlikely to do it with a sense of vengeance. It's more about getting to the end than about punishment. The Kiwis have shattered India's heart more than once. The 2021 World Test Championship Final was lost by Virat Kohli's team to New Zealand.

Toss will play a very important role, probably the most crucial one, in the World Cup 2023 semifinal match between India and New Zealand on Wednesday. And the statistics of the Wankhede Stadium, the venue for the epic clash, couldn't draw a more clearer picture on what teams ought to do when they win the toss. Not to forget, India have played a match there in this tournament and emerged victoriously after Sri Lanka erred at the toss while New Zealand will be playing their first game in this World Cup in Mumbai on Wednesday. However, India captain Rohit Sharma shut the noise surrounding the toss at Wankhede.