On Sunday, India completed their final group stage match of the 2023 World Cup with a 160-run win over Netherlands at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
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Having sealed top spot in the league two games earlier, the Men in Blue finished the round robin stage with a perfect record, winning all nine of their matches against the other teams in the tournament.
They will take on New Zealand in the first semifinal, while Australia and South Africa facing off in the second semifinal.
India's match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, but how has the venue played so far in the World Cup?
How has the Wankhede pitch played in World Cup 2023?
The Wankhede Stadium has been an ideal hunting ground for teams batting first at this World Cup. The first innings scores at the venue so far read 399/7, 382/5, 357/8 and 291/5.
By sharp contrast the second innings scores are 170, 233, 55 and 293/7 with the latter only coming thanks to a truly superhuman effort from Australia's Glenn Maxwell against Afghanistan.
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As far as pace bowlers are concerned, bowling second has been a joy for them. Seamers in the first innings at this ground have averaged over 52, a number that drops sharply to around 16 in the second innings.
| Innings | Overs | Wickets | Average | Economy Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 116.5 | 17 | 52.29 | 7.60 |
| 2nd | 89.4 | 30 | 15.80 | 5.28 |
This is partly due to moisture, which sometimes settles on the pitch early in the second innings during day-night matches. This can cause the ball to skid on, and combined with the difficulty in spotting the seam position under lights, makes batting tricky in the early stages of the second innings.
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Spinners have been largely ineffective at this ground in the tournament so far. The batting-friendly nature of the wicket in the first innings means they can be dealt with easily, while their low second innings numbers are down to the early dominance of the pacers, who take the bulk of wickets.
| Innings | Overs | Wickets | Average | Economy Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 83.1 | 6 | 86.00 | 6.20 |
| 2nd | 45.3 | 5 | 51.00 | 5.60 |
Only one score has been chased successfully at this ground in this year's World Cup, in sharp contrast to how the results have gone historically at the Wankhede. Since 1987, the 27 ODIs at this venue have seen 14 wins for the team batting first and 13 for the side batting second.
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In day/night matches, this record is split straight down the middle with 10 wins batting first and 10 batting second. But in this tournament, that record stands at 3-1. The reasons for this imbalance are unclear at the moment, but based on the recent matches it would make sense to bat first and attempt to put a substantial score on the board.
India vs New Zealand: Predictions, latest betting odds
India are favoured to win this match, according to the bookmakers.
Who will win the 2023 World Cup?
India and Australia are now among the favourites for the 2023 World Cup title. The odds were as follows ahead of this match, and you can click here to make your bet (selected regions).
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| India | 1.95 |
| Australia | 4.50 |
| South Africa | 5.50 |
| New Zealand | 7.50 |
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