Published: Mar 20, 2015, 10:13 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 20, 2015, 10:48 PM (IST)
Co-hosts New Zealand take on West Indies in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Quarter-Final 4 at Wellington. New Zealand go into the match as favourites but cannot afford to take West Indies lightly as they can spring up a surprise or two. Pramod Ananth lists a few reasons as to why West Indies can beat New Zealand.
The Chris Gayle factor: Although skipper Jason Holder has kept mum about Gayle’s fitness, if he plays he will look to unleash his range of shots on the New Zealand bowlers. If Gayle can bat for 20-25 overs, he would have done enough damage already and will give a platform from where the middle-order can takeover. Preview: New Zealand vs West Indies
Jason Holder all-round abilities: Over the last few matches holder has come be very handy with ball and bat. He scored back-to-back half-centuries against South Africa and India to save his team from an embarrassing loss. He is more than a handy batsman coming in at No.9. He also picked up four crucial wickets against United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final group stage match to ensure that they bowled UAE out cheaply. LIVE SCORECARD: New Zealand vs West Indies ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 quarter-final match
Jerome Taylor’s excellent form: Taylor has troubled the batsmen in every match he’s bowled so far. His first spell is going to be crucial, during which he more often than not strikes. He will be entrusted to get the priced scalp of Brendon McCullum, who will be key for New Zealand if they are to get off to a flying start. READ: Darren Sammy compares New Zealand vs West Indies quarter-final match to Buster Douglas vs Mike Tyson boxing match
Marlon Samuels is the man for big matches: Just like he played a match-winning innings against Sri Lanka in the ICC World T20 Final, Samuels will be the main figure in the middle-order. As one of West Indies’ most experienced player in the current set-up, a lot of responsibility will rest on his shoulders. Samuels’ also has the knack of picking up crucial wickets and his off-spinners can come in handy during the middle overs. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
Andre Russell’s big performance yet to come: Andre Russell is one of the best hard-hitting batsmen coming low down the order. He is a good fast bowler and can take the match away from the opposition in a blink of an eye. READ: India vs West Indies ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Jason Holder emulates Lance Klusener
(Pramod Ananth is a reporter at CricketCountry. He has represented Karnataka table tennis under-15, and is a hardcore supporter of Liverpool FC. His Twitter handle is @pramz)
