India meet New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. India topped the league stage with an all-win record. The Kiwis on the other hand scraped through as the fourth-placed side, with five wins from nine games.
New Zealand have a 5-4 head-to-head record over India in the World Cup. Kane Williamson's men stopped Virat Kohli's India in the semifinals of the last edition in 2019. Last time also India had topped the league table only to go down to the Kiwis.
New Zealand are eyeing a spot in the final for third third successive edition, while the Men in Blue are targetting a place in the summit clash after 12 years. India fell in the semifinals in 2015 and 2019. In fact India's last win in a World Cup knockout game was the 109-run victory over Bangladesh in the quarterfinals of the 2015 edition.
New Zealand have won two semifinals and lost six in World Cup history. India have won three semifinals, while losing four.
India defeated New Zealand by four wickets earlier in the tournament. However, it will count to nothing as the pressure is entirely different in a knockout game as opposed to the league stage.
India's lone win over the Kiwis in a knockout match is the seven-wicket victory in the semifinals of the World Championship of Cricket in 1985. India came second best to the Kiwis in the final of the Champions Trophy in 2000. After the 18-run loss in the semifinals of the last World Cup, India also went down to the Blacks Caps in the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021.
