7 wins out of 7. Undefeated thus far in an ODI World Cup hosted on home soil. A long list of uber-talented and accomplished batters, some of the best all-rounders in contemporary cricket, and a bowling attack which is the most complete one in the entire competition. There is no doubt in the notion that India have the credentials to win their third 50 over World Cup, in a tournament where no other team screams ‘prime contenders’ as loud as Rohit Sharma’s troops. The question is, does any other side have it in them to defeat India in their own backyard?
After the completion of seven rounds in the group stages, only a handful of teams stand a chance to qualify for the semi-finals, so it would be futile to discuss the rest. Out of those units, very few actually possess the ability to challenge India, let alone beat them over the course of 100 overs, that too on their home turf.
Afghanistan and Pakistan
For the sake of completeness, I’ll briefly touch on Afghanistan and Pakistan, both of whom still have an outside chance of making it to the knockout stage. Neither team posed even the slightest bit of threat to India when they squared up against them earlier in the tournament, and have far too many holes in their elevens, to be part of this conversation.
Afghanistan have a few spin bowling superstars up their sleeve, and all of their squad players have contributed to their unprecedented run in this World Cup, but India is pretty much the best team when it comes to playing spin, and their bowling attack is far too incisive for the inexperienced yet talented Afghan batting order.
Arch-rivals Pakistan, on the other hand, have been far from their best in this tournament, and their spinners, in stark contrast to Afghanistan, are leaking runs. At this point, it would not be wrong to say that the Dutch tweaker Aryan Dutt would easily slot into Pakistan’s lineup. Recent games between India and Pakistan also suggest that the former is far superior to the latter across all three facets, and the reality of the men in green never managing to overcome their neighbours in ODI World Cups does not help.
Semi-final aspirants
Let’s shift our focus now to the premier semi-final aspirants in this competition, who also boast the best chances of breaking India’s winning streak. South Africa have already booked a spot in the final four, and Australia have won four games in a row, which has all but solidified their prospects of qualifying. New Zealand however, after winning their first four games, have lost three on the bounce, and could in theory miss out on a semi-final berth.
New Zealand’s challenge
The Black Caps have been India’s bogey team in World Cup cricket, and lost to them for the first time in 20 years in the prestigious competition when both sides locked horns in Dharamsala. New Zealand is a team which has built a reputation for itself when it comes to optimal utilisation of resources, and have managed to punch above their weight, trophy after trophy, only to fall short, at times by the barest of margins.
You can expect the Kiwis to bat relatively conservatively, post par totals and battle till the end, as they did in their most recent encounter with the Indian juggernaut, but it’s powerplay wickets that they will need to give themselves a proper sniff. Trent Boult is an elite new ball bowler across all three formats, and given New Zealand’s injury situation, the onus to strike upfront would fall on the left-arm talisman. Considering how Rohit Sharma was creaming his former Mumbai Indian’s teammate for sixes, even off the elusive knuckle-ball, does not bode well for New Zealand.
Australia’s powerplay prowess
When it comes to modern-day rivalries, India vs Australia has been nothing short of a blockbuster. When both teams met in their tournament opener in Chennai, Australia had removed three Indian batters for basically no runs, but a dropped opportunity of Kohli by Mitchell Marsh’s groin and a first innings score of 199 meant that Australia stood no chance of competing, thereafter.
Here is what Pat Cummins’ boys can do though. They have what it takes to obliterate India’s bowlers in the powerplay if things go according to plan, and their in-form opening pair of David Warner and Travis Head is well-equipped to execute exactly that. Australia also can chip around India’s spinners in the middle overs, and can go hard at the death. The latter is obviously subject to Glenn Maxwell’s availability, so golf carts could potentially be the difference between India remaining unbeaten and an Australian win, unless Pat Cummins activates his Kolkata Knight Riders six-hitting prowess. Given their style of play though, Australia are better placed to defeat India than their trans-Tasman adversaries.
South Africa’s potent threat
On to South Africa, then. The only powerhouse remaining in the tournament which is yet to face India in the round-robin stage. Out of all the teams competing, the Proteas are perhaps the only unit which could give India a proper run for their money, and even come out on top, provided they bat first. The fact that South Africa have lost one game all tournament and that too chasing a low total vs the Netherlands, speaks volumes. They nearly botched their chase against Pakistan as well, so they aren’t particularly doing much to shun away the chokers’ tag.
Here is the catch, though. In 11 ODIs in 2023, South Africa’s average score batting first is 349, and in 8 of their most recent ODIs, they have crossed 300 each time in the first innings. While those numbers are otherworldly, they are also toss-dependent. Another key trait of Temba Bavuma’s team is that it is the only side in the World Cup that is going in with a four-pronged pace attack.
Marco Jansen has been spectacular both with the new ball and at scoring quick runs at number 7, and the formidable Lungi Ngidi partners him in the powerplay. Kagiso Rabada has looked lethal as a first-change bowler, and Gerald Coetzee has been raising hell in the middle overs, so much so that Anrich Nortje’s absence has not been felt one bit. Keshav Maharaj has done a fantastic job as their lone spinner, and the fact that Tabraiz Shamsi has played just two games all World Cup tells you a story.
Early breakthroughs remain the key to defeating India, particularly if opposition teams manage to remove both Rohit and Kohli cheaply. South Africa have taken consistent wickets throughout all three phases of play, and have the ability to rock India’s coveted batting lineup not just in the powerplay, but over the course of the entire innings.
If there is one team that you had to bet your money on against India’s star-studded squad, it has to be the Proteas. That said, it would be best to wait till after the toss, before placing your in-play bet.
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