IND vs NZ, T20 World Cup: New Zealand's key players who pose India threat

IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2021: Kane Williamson's New Zealand take on India in a must-win clash for both sides in Group 2 of the Super 12 stage.

New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson after his team's defeat to Pakistan.

Both India and New Zealand come into this contest in what could be a virtual knock-out contest in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup on Sunday in Dubai.

Virat Kohli's India and Kane Williamson's New Zealand have an identical head-to-head record of 8 wins each in the format.

Here are the key players to keep an eye out for from the New Zealand line-up:

Trent Boult

After India's openers' struggle against the incoming delivery against left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, New Zealand will be looking to emulate the gameplan in the form of Trent Boult.

Both Rohit and Rahul were dismissed for 0 and 3 by Shaheen as India stuggled in the powerplay.

Rohit has been dismissed twice by his Mumbai Indians teammate Boult in the 11 deliveries he has faced, while Rahul is yet to be tested by the Kiwi pacer in the format.

Trent Boult will be keen to replicate Shaheen Afridi's show with the ball in the match against India. Photo: Getty Images

 

Rahul has an exceptional record against NZ in the five matches he has played against them while accounting for 224 runs with a strike rate of 144 as an opener.

Devon Conway

Devon Conway, who made his debut in 2020, has become a batting mainstay in the Kiwi set-up. In the 15 matches, he has scored 500 runs at an average of 55.55 and a strike rate of 148. He also has four fifties with a highest of a 99 not out against Australia.

Conway, who was New Zealand's joint top-scorer in the defeat to Pakistan, is yet to feaure against India in this format and will be keen to make an impression on the big stage.

Devon Conway is a batting mainstay in New Zealand's XI in recent times. Photo: Getty Images

 

 

Ish Sodhi

Indian fans will need no remainder of the last time their team came up against Sodhi in the T20 World Cup in India. On a rank turner in Nagpur, Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Nathan McCullum spun a web around the Indian batters to bowl them out for 79 in the chase of 127.

Sodhi starred with three wickets for 18 and has a record of 17 wickets in 12 outings against India with a strike rate of 15.

The 29-year-old was also the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand with two wickets agains Pakistan in Sharjah.

 

The match will be aired LIVE at 7:30 pm on the Star Sports Network . The match will also be live streamed on Disney+Hotstar .