Kiwis look to seize destiny against Scotland

Handed a defeat by Pakistan in its tournament opener, Kane Williamson and his troops made a strong comeback in its next game.

It produced a clinical performance to beat tournament favourite India by eight wickets, taking a giant stride towards a semi-final spot.

New Zealand needs to win its remaining three matches to make the last four, so the Black Caps can ill-afford to slip up. It will also be eyeing dominant wins to improve its net run rate which could come into play later on.

Having already played Pakistan and India, it is expected to breeze past Scotland and Namibia while the clash against Afghanistan could be tricky.

The Kiwis have a potent bowling attack and in both the games, they have showed why their bowlers are rated so highly. Defending a modest 134, it made life difficult for Pakistan batters before stifling a star-studded Indian line up.

Spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner were sensational against India. In their eight overs, the duo gave just 32 runs while also securing crucial scalps of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while the pacers, led by star seamer Trent Boult, too contributed handsomely.

In the batting department, Daryl Mitchell has embraced his role as an opener. Along with veteran Martin Guptill, the two make a formidable pair. After the failure in the tournament opener, the unit was not tested much against India.

The biggest worry, however, remains Williamson’s fitness. He is still not hundred per cent and continues to play with an elbow injury.