Ahead of the 2023 rematch, Kuldeep Yadav plays down haunting memories of India's loss to New Zealand.
The Indian cricket team registered a huge victory of 160 runs over the Netherlands in its final match of the group stage match in the 2023 World Cup on Sunday. The Rohit Sharma-led team has thus ensured they ended the group stage unbeaten, with wins in all nine matches; the side was justifiably the first to qualify for the semi-finals, where it faces old foes New Zealand. It was the Kiwis who emerged victorious against India at the same stage four years ago. At that time, a Virat Kohli-led Indian team faced a narrow 21-run loss to New Zealand in a rain-hit match in Manchester.
Ahead of the high-voltage clash, the star spinner of team India, Kuldeep Yadav, insisted that the memories of India's loss in the 2019 World Cup won't come to haunt the side this time around.
Kuldeep said, “The 2019 semifinals against New Zealand were four years ago. We have played a lot of bilateral series after that, so we know the conditions in India, and so do they. Our preparation has been good, and we have been able to play good cricket throughout the tournament. So, we expect to continue in the same vein in the next match as well.”
He also said that “it is a difficult venue to bowl. The bounce is true, and batsmen often dominate there. Unlike in T20, of course, the bowlers have plenty of time to come back into the game.”