New Zealand face England in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2021 in Abu Dhabi this evening. The Kane Williamson-led side made the last four as the second-placed team in Group 2 of the Super 12 stage.
While previewing the encounter in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that New Zealand have an Achilles heel for which they do not have a remedy. He said:
The former India opener pointed out that Martin Guptill has not been consistent at the top of the order for New Zealand. Chopra elaborated:
Guptill has scored 176 runs at an average of 35.20 in the five innings he has played in the tournament. 93 runs of these runs came in a single knock against Scotland.
Aakash Chopra’s take on the other New Zealand batters
Aakash Chopra added that Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway are also not runaway match-winners in the T20 format. He observed:
The 44-year-old concluded by singling out the lack of depth and firepower in the batting department as New Zealand’s area of concern. Chopra explained:
New Zealand have opted to go with five specialist bowlers, along with James Neesham as a batting all-rounder, in their last four matches. They are likely to stick with the same combination, which puts the onus on their top order to deliver the goods.
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