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Kane Williamson
According to Saba Karim, New Zealand’s fragile middle order could give an advantage to India in the WTC final.
The fault in the middle order of the Kiwis was clearly on display in their first innings of the Test against England. New Zealand lost 4 wickets for the addition of just 6 runs. The team went from 288/3 to 294/7 in a matter of moments. They were finally bowled out for 378 runs.
In a recent interview, Saba Karim pointed out the flaws in the Kiwi middle order. He also added that Kane Williamson is a wall for the New Zealand batting lineup. So any team usually feels that after getting Williamson’s wicket, they can easily get New Zealand all out.
The former Indian wicketkeeper also pointed out the fault in choosing Colin de Grandhomme as a fifth balling option. It further weakened the Kiwis’ batting lineup. Karim was surprised by New Zealand’s combination for their first Test innings. He does not support the decision of playing Colin as a fifth bowler apart from three pacers and a spinner. It affected the middle order strength of New Zealand.
In the Lord’s test, after the unfortunate dismissal of Kane Williamson, no batsman except two made any valuable contribution. Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls were the only two batsmen who made significant contributions to the bat.
Playing before the World Test Championship (WTC) final can go against New Zealand: Saba Karim
It is a popular belief that New Zealand’s two-match test series against England would help them in the WTC final. The Kiwis can then get better acclimatized to the English conditions. But Saba Karim gave a contrasting opinion that it can also be a disadvantage for the Kiwis. If they fail to register a win against England, then the team’s confidence would go down a lot. It could work in India’s favor if they face an opponent who is not confident of themselves on the field. India’s chances of winning the championship would increase if England defeats New Zealand.
He concluded by saying that momentum is very important for every team. If the runs would not flow for New Zealand, they would go to play the WTC final with massive baggage and demons in their mind. It can negatively impact any team’s performance.