Weather and Pitch Report for Wankhede, India vs. New Zealand: Could Overcast Conditions Give Seam Bowlers an Advantage?
The World Cup 2023 semi-finals kick off at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, featuring an intense clash between India and New Zealand. India, undefeated in the tournament with 9 wins in the league stage, faces New Zealand, having won 5 out of 9 matches but losing one to India.
The battle for a spot in the final extends beyond just the players, with the playing conditions at Wankhede Stadium playing a crucial role. Teams batting first in this World Cup have been more successful in utilizing the powerplays than those batting second, making the toss crucial. The pitch is balanced, maintaining its integrity throughout the match, with an average first-innings score of 318 in the last 10 games.
In terms of the powerplay comparison, teams batting first have scored an aggregate of 209, losing only 5 wickets, while teams batting second have managed 168 runs but lost 17 wickets in the same phase. Consequently, winning the toss might lead the captain to opt for batting first.
The pace vs. spin dynamic at Wankhede favors pacers, who have claimed 83% of the total wickets. As for the weather, the day is expected to be around 32 degrees Celsius with 86% cloud cover, reducing to 16 degrees at night with 18% cloud cover. Despite a 0% chance of rain, pacers could exploit the overcast conditions to secure early wickets.
