'Like World Cup final': Siraj on IND-NZ ODI series decider
What's the story
Mohammed Siraj has compared the third ODI between India and New Zealand in Indore to a World Cup final. The comparison highlights how competitive the Kiwis have been in the first two matches of the series. With both teams winning one match each, everything is at stake at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday. "Such situations are very rare in India, so it is a great opportunity for us," Siraj said ahead of the game. "Almost like a World Cup final."
Historical context
New Zealand's ODI record in India
New Zealand have never won an ODI bilateral series in India in seven attempts. They have managed to win only nine out of 41 completed ODIs against India on Indian soil. Their victory in the second ODI at Rajkot was their first against India after eight consecutive losses since 2023. Prior to that, they hadn't beaten the home team since 2017.
Match pressure
Siraj on high-pressure situation
Siraj said the atmosphere ahead of the decider is very good as they are getting a lot of input from seniors. He added that winning the first match and then playing the second creates a high-pressure situation. The India spearhead also acknowledged New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell as a key wicket. "We tried our best to get him out (in Rajkot). We had a game plan for him. As you can see, even a world-class batter can make mistakes," he stated.
Bowling confidence
Siraj's confidence in India's bowling
Despite New Zealand's strong performance, Siraj is confident about India's bowling attack. He said, "I don't think there is any concern. It is always about one wicket." The pacer also revealed his plans to get Mitchell out as early as possible in this match too. Notably, Siraj took two wickets in the opener before going wicket-less in the second clash.