India v New Zealand predictions and cricket betting tips

Where to watch India v New Zealand

Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 9.30am Sunday

Best bet

Trent Boult top New Zealand wicket-taker
2pts 3-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

India v New Zealand predictions

India and New Zealand are the only teams to win all of their games at the Cricket World Cup, but that run will end for one of these pacesetters in Dharamsala on Sunday morning.

Hosts India have produced four carbon-copy victories in front of their raucous fans, limiting their opponents to a below-par total in the first innings before their swashbuckling top order chase down the required total with ease.

Rohit Sharma’s men have won by at least six wickets in all four games, beating Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and rivals Pakistan.

New Zealand should provide a sterner challenge than those opponents, however, and this looks like being a tantalising clash.

The Kiwis started with a record-breaking victory over England before seeing off the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Afghanistan comfortably.

That may have been an easier run of games than the hosts have experienced, but the Black Caps could hardly have done it in more comfortable fashion and they have plenty of pedigree in this tournament - they were narrowly defeated by England in the final four years ago.

India and New Zealand met in the semi-final on that occasion, with the Kiwis triumphing over the course of two days in a rain-delayed showdown.

The Men in Blue got the better of the Black Caps 3-0 in a recent one-day international series, but the losing side had rested many of their big names whereas the hosts were almost at full strength.

Hardik Pandya suffered an ankle injury last time out. That will force India into rotation, with all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin or paceman Mohammed Shami his likely replacement.

Given that India have enjoyed such success by bowling first over the last four games, New Zealand are likely to try to force their hosts to do something different if they win the toss.

Kiwi opening bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry look crucial to their chances of victory. India’s success at this tournament has come from their batters dominating from the outset, so the visitors must make inroads early.

Boult has a solid record against the top-order trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, dismissing them eight times in one-day internationals.

The experienced bowler is yet to truly shine at this year’s tournament, with Mitch Santner doing most of the damage.

However, against a top-order he has dismissed consistently, Boult could be the one to prevent India’s batters dominating completely and he is fancied to be New Zealand’s top wicket-taker in what should be an enthralling clash.

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