If their slow start to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 was uncharacteristic, Australia proved why they remain among the favourites to win the tournament with a sensational win against the Netherlands. Facing the minnows amid the flashing lights at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the record World Cup winners romped to a dominant victory, beating their hapless opponents by the biggest margin in the competition’s history. (Match Blog | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
Glenn Maxwell scored the fastest ODI World Cup ton en route to the Netherlands thrashing, while Adam Zampa recorded an eye-watering figure of 4/8 with the ball. David Warner, too, scored a century, marking his second hundred in the 2023 tournament.
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Next for Australia are neighbours and rivals New Zealand in what will be a repeat of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup Final. New Zealand’s only blemish in the competition so far came in their last match against hosts India; previously, the Kiwis had played four and won four, beating England, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
With both teams in good positions to qualify for the knockouts, we look at three players who could decide the upcoming tussle.
Here are three key battles to watch out for in match 27 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Australia vs New Zealand:
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David Warner Vs Matt Henry
Breaking the duopoly of Tim Southee and Trent Boult was always going to be a challenge for any hopeful New Zealand bowler; the pair’s speed and longevity had helped the Kiwis contest for honours in the latter stages of many a tournament in the past decade. With his ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 performances, however, Matt Henry has proven that he has what it takes to seamlessly coexist in the same system with the two greats of the game. Henry’s biggest test of the tournament comes next: a battle against the experienced David Warner, who will be heading into the match against New Zealand with two tons and a total of 332 runs from five innings so far.
Rachin Ravindra Vs Mitchell Starc
Twenty-three-year-old Rachin Ravindra has been one of the revelations of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023; the Wellington-born all-rounder has scored 290 in five innings and has even managed to add a century to his tally. Ravindra’s combination with Daryl Mitchell in the middle overs has helped New Zealand race to high totals, but that partnership is bound to face the deadly-as-ever Mitchell Starc in their next challenge. Surviving him would be essential for the World Cup hopefuls in their quest for triumph.
Daryl Mitchell Vs Adam Zampa
After a slow start to the campaign, Adam Zampa has collected four scalps each in his last three matches, including an outstanding 4/8 figure against the Netherlands. Zampa’s uptick in form has collided with his team’s; Australia, placed fourth ahead of the match, are among the favourites to qualify for the knockouts despite the challenge forced by those below. Zampa’s trickery will likely face the sheer power and tenacity of Daryl Mitchell, who comes into the game fresh on the back of a ton against hosts India. Mitchell has scored a whopping 268 runs in four innings, with an average of just under 90.
