India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is confident that New Zealand will target Indian captain Rohit Sharma early in the upcoming World Cup 2023 semi-final, considering him a key player for India. The much-anticipated match is set to take place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, Rohit's home ground, on Wednesday.
India enters this semi-final with an impressive track record, having won all nine of their league matches, while New Zealand secured the fourth spot in the points table. Despite India's strong performance so far, their past encounters with New Zealand in ICC knockout matches, including losses in the 2019 World Cup semi-final and the 2021 World Test Championship final, suggest that the upcoming match won't be straightforward.
The Indian team, however, is approaching the semi-final with high confidence, displaying formidable skills in both batting and bowling. Much of this success has been attributed to Rohit's aggressive approach as captain. In their league match against New Zealand in Dharamsala, Rohit's quickfire 45 set the tone for India's victory. Throughout the World Cup, he has accumulated 503 runs at a strike rate of 121, consistently providing India with solid starts.
"If there is one player I don't doubt who will do exactly what he has done so far in the tournament, it is Rohit Sharma. For me, he is the biggest wicket New Zealand will look to take. If he gets going, take it in writing from me that Team India will win the semi-finals," Dinesh Karthik told Cricbuzz.
Karthik, who experienced the disappointment of the 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand firsthand, believes India is now better prepared to overcome this semi-final barrier. In that 2019 match, chasing a target of 240, India was reduced to 3 for 5, with top players including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dismissed early. Karthik himself was out for 6, contributing to India's downfall at 24 for 4 and later 71 for 5, eventually losing by 18 runs despite valiant efforts from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni.
Despite subsequent losses in a T20 World Cup semi-final and two World Test Championship finals, Karthik's assessment is that the current Indian squad has the capability and preparation to successfully navigate the challenges of a World Cup semi-final, especially with the home advantage and their current form.
"It's been a great tournament so far, but knockout games are obviously something very, very different. The pressure is different. We have seen how well India have played. All I want them to do is embrace the pressure. It is going to be a packed house in Bombay full of blue, and I'm sure they'll relish it and put up yet another superb performance," Karthik added.
The semi-final against New Zealand thus promises to be a crucial and exciting encounter, with high stakes for both teams.
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