'Looking forward to the contest between Mitchell and the Indian batters'

MUMBAI: Former captain Anjum Chopra said she is really looking forward to the match-up between New Zealand’s left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and the Indian batting line-up in the first semifinal of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Santner has been at his exceptional best in keeping the batters in check and has picked 16 wickets in nine games. When India and New Zealand faced off in the 2019 World Cup semi-final at Manchester, which Blackcaps won by 18 runs, Santner took 2-34 in ten overs.

“One match-up I am definitely looking forward to is the one between Mitchell Santner and India’s batters. I am eager to know how they are going to tackle him. That’s because Santner has proven to be one of the most outstanding bowlers till date for New Zealand. And, I am not looking at one particular batsman.”

“I am keen to see what will happen when Virat Kohli faces up to him or for that matter Shreyas Iyer, or even the openers. Santner comes to bowl during the power play, so I feel that match-up is going to be very interesting,” said Anjum in an episode of JioCinema’s daily sports show ‘#AAKASHVANI’.

In the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup league match between these two teams at Dharamsala, he had figures of 1-37 from his quota of overs. “He’s varying his pace very well, he’s imparting a very nice loop to the ball, there’s grip and turn when he’s bowling.”

“So, it will be interesting to see how he lines up the Indian batters who are supposedly good players of spin bowling. The Wankhede pitch offers bounce. It also offers grip and turn, so I want to see how Santner fares,” concluded Anjum.