Direct hit: Can India get the monkey off the back?

Forty-five league games done and dusted and we are now at the business end of the World Cup. India Australia and England were expected to make it to the semifinals and the fourth team predicted by the pundits was either Pakistan or New Zealand. South Africa did make it to the last four playing some good cricket and New Zealand as they always do find a way to sneak past Pakistan and Afghanistan to make it to yet another semifinal.

The first semifinal is the rematch of the one which happened at Manchester four years ago over two days due to rain. India who had topped the group were outright favourites but were stunned by New Zealand to break the heart of Indian fans who had already booked their tickets for the final in Lords. And India would definitely like to settle the score this time around. They have been on a roll and have been the team to beat having won all their nine games comprehensively. All their batters have scored big runs and their bowlers have been on fire.

But can they get the jinx of a knockout game out of their way? Before this World Cup, India had made it to the semifinals seven times and lost four times and most importantly lost twice in India once in 1987 to England and the other in 1996 to Sri Lanka. They got past Pakistan in 2011 at Mohali the last time the World Cup was played in India and went on to win their second World Cup. India have not won an ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy and since then lost the 2014 T20 final to Sri Lanka, 2015 ODI semifinal to Australia, 2016 T20 semifinal to West Indies, 2017 Champions trophy final to Pakistan, 2019 ODI semifinal to New Zealand and last the 2022 T20 World cup semifinal to England.

The Test Championship loss in the final to New Zealand in 2021 and this year to Australia.

This Indian team had so far played a brand of high-quality cricket which no other Indian team in the past has played and unless India have a bad day in the office, it looks unlikely India might miss the boat to make it to the final on 19th November. But I am sure Rohit Sharma would be aware of this New Zealand team which has hurt them most in ICC tournaments and will not take their guard off.