Boult ready to face ‘India in front of 1.5 billion people’

AFP, Bengaluru :
New Zealand’s Trent Boult said Thursday “it doesn’t get any bigger than taking on India in front of 1.5 billion people” as he counted down to their likely World Cup semi-final showdown in Mumbai.

Left-arm quick Boult returned figures of 3-37 to play a pivotal role in his team’s five-wicket win over Sri Lanka that has virtually assured them a place in the last-four.

Rivals Pakistan and Afghanistan will have to pull off miraculous victories in their concluding group games in order to knock New Zealand out of the semi-final reckoning.

The Kiwis would face undefeated India in Mumbai next Wednesday with South Africa playing Australia in Kolkata 24 hours later.

“We’re going to be very clear with how we’re going to tackle that game,” said veteran fast bowler Boult.

“I think there’ll be a lot of excitement and the prospect of that challenge. It doesn’t get any bigger than taking on India in front of 1.5 billion people.

New Zealand, who have been runners-up in the previous two World Cups, have an edge over India in tournament match-ups with a 5-4 advantage.

They knocked out much-fancied India in the semi-finals in 2019.

“I can’t speak on what they’re thinking but from our point of view to play a World Cup in India and to come up against the host nation, a team that’s red hot and playing good cricket at a great ground, you couldn’t script it any better,” added 34-year-old Boult.