India vs New Zealand
The eyes of the cricket world will be on the ICC World Cup warm-up match between India and New Zealand at the Kia Oval this weekend, not least those in the England camp.
ODI India vs New Zealand pits together two of the fancied sides for the six-week showcase tournament, which is just around the corner. The hosts, England, are favourites to win the World Cup and have a squad worthy of that mantle with an explosive batting line-up and a bowling attack full of variety and no little menace.
So as the tournament approaches, the top teams are making their last minute adjustments. It promises to be a cracking festival of cricket and we’ll be right there with the up-to-date SBOBET odds to join in the fun.
In the meantime, cricket fans in the capital city have a chance to run the rule over two of the front-runners.
Talking Points
India is the biggest threat to hosts
This is a meeting of two of the top four ODI teams in the world, India sitting in second place and just four points behind England, while the Black Caps are in fourth place. Both have a real chance of lifting the ICC World Cup this summer, but it is India that Eoin Morgan and his England team will be most wary of. The latest SBOBET odds have India neck and neck with England at 2.50, and only home advantage giving Morgan’s men the edge.
Virat Kohli is captaining his team at a World Cup for the first time and has warned them this is the most challenging World Cup he has played in. And he will be keen to see his team hitting form in advance of India’s opener against South Africa, in Southampton on June 5th.
Kohli has one of the most experienced ODI batting line-ups, with Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in the 15 man squad, but it is India’s bowling line-up which has proved so much under his reign. Jasprit Bumrah is the best one day bowler in the world and his bustling style will give plenty of batsmen the hurry-up throughout the summer. And in Ravindra Jadeja, the India side has, on his day, one of the most attacking all-rounders in the game.
Guptill loves playing in England
New Zealand has been at the top of the one day game for a decade, making the 2015 final; and they will be a side to be reckoned with over the next two months.
The Black Caps have real pedigree running through their team. Skipper Kane Williamson is the second highest ranked Test batsman in the world, and big hitting Ross Taylor ranks at third in the ODI listing. But few will be looking forward to the tournament more than Martin Guptill, who thrives In England, saying: “I do love playing over there. It’s very similar conditions to home and you can be at ease and you can go out and just chill when you’re away from cricket.”
The right-handed opener has scored 652 runs in England, including an unbeaten 189 from 155 balls back in 2013. And he had a superb World Cup in 2015, driving New Zealand to the final as top scorer with 547 runs at an average of 68, including a massive 237 not out against West Indies, a tournament record.
With the ball, Trent Boult and Tim Southee have forged a formidable opening partnership and will be key to New Zealand’s success, in conditions similar to their homeland. Boult is the second highest ranked 50 over bowler and he destroyed India in the fourth ODI at Hamilton in January this year.
Wicket-keeper Tom Blundell and off-spinner Ish Sodhi have been called up to the World Cup squad, and Blundell may make an appearance at the Oval, while wicket-keeper batsman Tom Latham nurses a finger injury.
History
These two teams met earlier in the year in New Zealand, in a series of one day games, where the India vs New Zealand results in the fifty over format favoured the tourists. India won the ODI series four to one, but the Black Caps recovered to win the T20 series by two to one, with a thrilling four-run victory at Hamilton in the third and final match.
Betting Tip
The latest India vs New Zealand betting odds pitch the Black Caps as outsiders to win this warm-up. But these are two reasonably well-matched sides, and while India is favourite to win at 1.58, the English conditions might just favour the seam and swing of the New Zealand pace bowlers, as well as England loving batsman Guptill.
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