The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will feature a showdown between the only undefeated teams, India and New Zealand, in match 21, set to take place on Sunday, October 22, at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. Having won all four of their initial matches in the tournament, both teams currently hold the first and second positions on the points table. While India has previously defeated New Zealand 3-0 in a home ODI series earlier this year, their performance against the Black Caps in ICC tournaments has been less impressive. Ahead of the IND vs NZ match, let’s take a closer look at the in-depth pitch report for the HPCA Stadium.
HPCA Stadium Pitch Report
Historically, the pitch at the picturesque HPCA Stadium, where the highly anticipated India vs New Zealand match will take place, has been favorable to fast bowlers due to the movement it offers in air and off the surface. Fast bowlers are expected to play a crucial role, particularly during the power play with the new ball, potentially posing a challenge for the batters in the upcoming India vs New Zealand clash.
Furthermore, during the World Cup 2023, the HPCA Stadium has been notable for its exceptional swing. Among all the venues hosting the World Cup matches in India, this stadium has provided an average swing of 1.4, after the second-ranked Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, which recorded an average swing of 1.2.
Recalling the World Cup 2019 semifinal horrors, the Indian batting lineup, particularly KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, will once again have to contend with New Zealand’s pace trio of Trent Boult, Matt Henry, and this time, Lockie Ferguson, all under playing conditions similar to those in England.
Nevertheless, these conditions will also favor Indian pacers. The Indian fast bowlers also have the ability to move the new ball both through the air and off the surface. Given India’s success in chasing during the 2023 World Cup with four wins, they will likely want to test their pace bowling strength in conditions that could favor them greatly.
IND vs NZ: Probable Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj / Mohammad Shami
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (c, wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
