New Zealand has been one of the most consistent teams in the history of ODI World Cups. They have made it to the semifinals on 8 occasions, which is the joint-highest along with Australia. However, they have never won the trophy so far. They did end up as the runner-up in each of the last two editions and will enter this contest as the dark horse.
New Zealand was the best team during the 2020-23 Super League cycle, winning 16 of the 24 matches they played, and finishing at the top of the points table. However, their form has seen a dip since then as the team has lost series’ against Pakistan as well as England.
New Zealand has one last chance to gain momentum as they face Bangladesh for a 3-match series before the start of the marquee event.New Zealand has named a well-balanced squad for the World Cup. It contains the right mix of young and experienced players and is likely to put up another good performance.
Squad
Batsman
Kane Williamson (C)
All-rounders
Mark Chapman
Daryl Mitchell
James Neesham
Rachin Ravindra
Will Young
Mitchell Santner
Wicket-keepers
Tom Latham
Devon Conway
Glenn Phillips
Bowlers
Trent Boult
Tim Southee
Lockie Ferguson
Matt Henry
Ish Sodhi
New Zealand has gone for plenty of all-rounders in the squad and that gives the team a lot of flexibility when it comes to team selection. James Neesham and Mitchell Santner were a part of the squad in the previous edition and know how to play under pressure. Their experience will be invaluable in the lower middle order.
The batting will be the main strength for New Zealand as it has some talented youngsters like Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchel, and Glenn Phillips in the top 4. Joining them will be the vastly experienced Kane Williamson, who will be making his 4th World Cup appearance.
The seam attack will also be a key to New Zealand’s success as Trent Boult joins the likes of Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson.
New Zealand has a lot of depth as well as players that play in the IPL and are used to the conditions. This is a team that has traditionally outperformed expectations in World Cups and that is what might happen this time around also.
While the squad is pretty well-balanced, the team does lack a standout performer in the spin department. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner are good bowlers no doubt, but when compared to the slow ball attack of some of the other teams, the Black Caps can be considered a bit lacking.
In the 50-over format, New Zealand’s spinners are not as wicket-taking as some of the others. Also, their recent form has been far from ideal which can affect the team’s morale.
5-10-23 New Zealand vs England Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
9-10-23 New Zealand vs Netherlands Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad
13-10-23 New Zealand vs Bangladesh MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
18-10-23 New Zealand vs Afghanistan MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
22-10-23 New Zealand vs India HPCA Stadium Dharamshala
28-10-23 New Zealand vs Australia HPCA Stadium Dharamshala
1-11-23 New Zealand vs South Africa MCA Stadium, Pune
4-11-23 New Zealand vs Pakistan M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
9-11-23 New Zealand vs Sri Lanka M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
New Zealand is the kind of team that will benefit from playing in high-scoring venues. It has the batting depth and the all-rounders to be able to attack from the outset. This is why we think venues like Dharamshala, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad will suit it nicely.
It does have two matches scheduled in Chennai where the ball can spin and dew can play a big role. This is where its matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan can be potentially difficult. The good thing is that New Zealand is playing in Chennai relatively early in the World Cup and the pitches might not be as spin-friendly by that time.
The match against India in Dharamshala is one that New Zealand would think it has a great chance of upsetting the home team.
Kane Williamson hasn’t played any professional cricket since March as he recovers from a ruptured ACL. However, he has been playing in the nets and should be in good shape by the time the World Cup begins.
Top run-scorer in 2023
Daryl Mitchell is having an excellent year so far and is the leading run-scorer for New Zealand. He has scored 652 runs so far at an average of 43.46 and his knocks include 3 centuries and a half-century.
Most wickets in 2023
While Henry Shipley is the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand this year, he is not a part of the squad. From the current squad, Matt Henry leads with 14 wickets in 10 matches. He has a bowling strike rate of 38.78 and an economy rate of 4.99.
Most runs: Devon Conway
A late bloomer, Conway made his ODI debut quite late into his career. Nevertheless, he has become an integral part of the team. He has played well on recent tours to the subcontinent, scoring centuries in matches in Pakistan as well as India. He was also a part of the CSK team which won the IPL earlier this year and was the top run-getter for them. He knows the ground conditions well and we are therefore backing him to be the top run-getter for New Zealand.
Most wickets: Trent Boult
Boult is one of the best seamers that New Zealand has produced in recent years. With 195 ODI wickets in 101 matches, Boult is on his way to becoming one of the quickest seamers to reach the 200-wicket mark. Trent Boult is the most successful New Zealand bowler in the World Cups, picking up 39 wickets in just 19 matches. We are therefore backing him to be the top wicket-taker for New Zealand in this edition.
