MANCHESTER: It just had to happen, didn’t it? A cracker of acontest which could not take place in the round-robin stage of the World Cupdue to rain, is finally happening. The moment Nathan Lyon holed out to AndilePhehlukwayo in the deep in the final league match of the World Cup 2019,India’s date with New Zealand was guaranteed. Only this time, there’s a lotmore riding – with a World Cup final at Lord’s beckoning. The game has beenbilled as the World No. 1 ranked India taking on the ever-consistent NewZealand.

From remaining unbeaten in the first six matches, NewZealand’s World Cup campaign has kind of skidded off the road following ahat-trick of losses against Pakistan, Australia and England. Some feel NewZealand don’t even deserve to be in the final – they only made it whenBangladesh scored the eighth run against Pakistan. But what matters is that NewZealand are here, with a hope of having pressed the reset button which KaneWilliamson emphasized on after the loss to England.

Standing in front of them is India – a side that has bossedthe league stage. Do India have the upper hand? Most certainly. But can NewZealand prove Ian Chappell and many other like him wrong? Most definitely.