IND vs NZ: Three things India need to do to end 20-year unbeaten run against New Zealand in ICC events

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IND vs NZ: India last won an ICC event match against New Zealand back in 2003. The last time India managed to defeat New Zealand in an ICC tournament was in the 2003 World Cup. A Sourav Ganguly-led India defeated the Kiwis by seven wickets.

New Zealand has time and again emerged as the biggest threat for India in ICC events. In the 2019 World Cup, India were handed a heartbreak defeat at the hands of Blackcaps in the semi-final.

India looked set to chase down the 240-run target and make a place in the mega final but the New Zealand pace unit had some other plans in store. India ended up losing the rain-marred game which was played across two days by 18 runs. The match was MS Dhoni's last in international cricket.

The scars of the wound are still fresh in minds of the billions of Indian fans. New Zealand will be up against India for the first time in World Cup 2023 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday. Interestingly, after 20 matches, India and New Zealand are the only two unbeaten teams in the 10-team event.

IND vs NZ: Things India need to beat New Zealand in World Cup 2023

Survive opening burst from New Zealand pacers and not losing wickets in bunches: India were three down for five runs in the semi-final of the World Cup 2019. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scored a run each. Dinesh Karthik departed for six, leaving India reeling at 24/4.

The Virat Kohli-led was exceptional throughout the tournament but one bad thirty minutes of play ruined their entire campaign. Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson wreaked havoc. The same trio are expected to turn up against India on Sunday. The hosts just need to be watchful if not aggressive in the first few overs.

Conditions in Dharamsala are favourable for pacers and India should avoid repeating the mistake which they committed four years ago. Not allowing the nerves to take over would be key.

Pick the correct Playing Xi: Hardik Pandya will be missing because of his ankle injury and this means that Rohit Sharma, coach Rahul Dravid and the entire team management would need to be very careful while picking the eleven.

Hardik was playing the role of the third seamer and a batter in the top six. India should definitely look to bring in a specialist batter first and then could replace either of Kuldeep Yadav or Shardul Thakur with Mohammed Shami whose experience would come very handy for India in Dharamsala.

Take early wickets against New Zealand: If India manage to strike exact revenge and get New Zealand's top three early, half of the battle would be won for them. New Zealand will be without their injured captain Kane Williamson and India should look to capitalise on that.

Opener Devon Conway and number three Rachin Ravindra are the two most in-form batters for New Zealand at the moment. Second opener Will Young has also hit back-to-back fifties. Getting these three early put immense pressure on New Zealand.

When compared to the 2019 World Cup, India have an equally lethal pace unit bowling and the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Shami should aim to put India on top immediately.