“Reaching the semis is a good achievement.Both teams will try to reach the final. We are expecting good cricket. From the Indian point of view, the way boys are playing, they are playing confidently,” said Borde, emphasising the high confidence level within the Indian team.
Borde underlined the significance of India’s home advantage, stating, “The expectations from the team are very high. In India, cricket is popular, so people will be backing them.” He added that the familiarity with home conditions and the strong support from the home audience are additional factors that could work in India’s favour.
“The confidence level of the team is high; they are used to the conditions, they are backed by people at home, and it has given them confidence. These three factors will be a plus for India and help them do well,” Borde asserted.
Acknowledging the importance of the toss, Borde noted, “I think toss will play a good part. In the evening, the dew factor plays a part. There are lights as well. So it is better to bat first and put up a good score.” He highlighted the aggressive and confident starts provided by openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma as crucial for boosting the team’s overall confidence.
While expressing confidence in India’s middle-order performance, with Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in fine form, Borde cautioned against underestimating New Zealand. “NZ has reached the semis; they have also played well. They beat us once,” he recalled.
As the cricketing world eagerly anticipated the clash, Borde summed up his assessment, stating, “Another plus point is how Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are performing. India is a complete team. Be it in bowling or batting.”
When asked about his favourite ODI batter from the current Team India, Borde diplomatically responded, “Favourite ODI batter is difficult to decide as all are playing well, be it Rohit, Virat, Gill, Iyer, KL, etc.”
(With inputs from ANI)
