Lockie Ferguson celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket. Photo / Photosport
Lockie Ferguson celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket. Photo / Photosport
The Black Caps’ long campaign to win a world tournament continues at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where they play Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semifinal starting at 9pm on Wednesday.
Here are nine things you need to know ahead of the match.
1) The omens don’t feel particularly good.Pakistan ended New Zealand’s hopes at the semifinals of two ODI World Cups, the most famous being when they shattered the Kiwi fairy tale at Eden Park in 1992. They also have a very good T20 record against New Zealand. The overall score is 17-11 and Pakistan lead 4-2 in World Cup clashes, those victories including the 2007 semifinal.
2) Pundits agree on one thing — the team winning the toss will bat at the SCG. The chasing team has won just one out of five games at the ground in this tournament. Overall, teams batting first have done slightly better over the years at the Sydney ground.
3) A new wicket will reportedly be used for the semifinal which should favour batting and maybe reduce the spinners’ impact. Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody said on ESPN Cricinfo the team batting first would want more than 175.
4) Pakistan have relied on their pace attack during the opening six-over power play. Black Caps opener Devon Conway tends to struggle against quick right-armers, and he doesn’t have a good history against Haris Rauf. Finn Allen will prefer that fast bowling prospect though. Glenn Phillips versus the Pakistan spinners shapes as a make or break contest. Kane Williamson has a very good record against Pakistan, including a rapid half century in Christchurch last month.
Glenn Phillips celebrates his century against Sri Lanka. Photo / Photosport
5) If sheer pace is the order of the day, New Zealand are always in the hunt when Lockie Ferguson is about. Most of the fastest deliveries in the tournament have been sent down by England’s Mark Wood. But Ferguson has bowled the second fastest, a yorker against Ireland at just over 154kph.
6) Kiwi bowling great Tim Southee — who has an excellent T20 record against Pakistan — said this week that any ground where the team has had success gives them a lift. New Zealand opened the tournament with a sensational demolition job on Australia, and also beat Sri Lanka at the SCG. Pakistan will also have the warm fuzzies, having beaten South Africa in Sydney.
7) The weather caused the odd problem during the tournament but is predicted to be perfect for this semifinal.
8) Pakistan will be on a high. They were in big trouble after losing their opening games against India and Zimbabwe, before being handed an unexpected semifinal place when the Netherlands beat infamous World Cup chokers South Africa. By reputation, their bowlers are the key and a fit-again Shaheen Afridi is starting to fire.
Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi. Photo / Photosport
9) Pakistan’s openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are both in the top five of the world batting rankings but haven’t lived up to their reputation. Devon Conway is ranked third, with Glenn Phillips seventh. Overall, Pakistan is ranked fourth, New Zealand fifth.
10) Rookie top order batsman Mohammad Haris has given Pakistan impetus since joining the team as an injury replacement during the tournament with quick knocks against South Africa and Bangladesh.
11) It is a very hard game to predict. In a Cricinfo preview, former Indian batsman Robin Uthappa reckoned it is “going to be New Zealand’s party”. He did temper that with a warning though, saying if anyone could bring New Zealand down it is Pakistan because of their unpredictability. “Anyone can turn up and do something special,” he said. Former England batter Ravi Bopara disagrees, telling the BBC: “Pakistan have snuck in through the back door and that makes them dangerous. They’ve won a World Cup like that before (2009) and it has that feel about it.”
