An India vs New Zealand semi-final clash in a World Cup isn’t as flavorous as the game that it precedes but it can be best relished through the two captains Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson. When Kohli and Williamson walk out for the IND vs NZ first CWC 2019 semi-final clash at Old Trafford in Manchester on Tuesday, July 9, it would have been 11 years and four months since they first met in that U-19 World Cup semi-final in 2008. Virat Kohli Reminiscences About Facing Kane Williamson in U-19 World Cup 11 Years Ago on Eve of IND vs NZ Clash in ICC CWC 2019, Watch Video.

In the years since that game, many things have changed around them, but Kohli and Williamson have remained the same. Kohli still is the bubbling hot child that can’t keep calm. He fusses and frets, yelps and roars and is full of aggressive emotions. In contrary, Williamson can hardly be seen when New Zealand fields and it isn’t until he meanders past that the cameras get an accidental glimpse.

They looked conquerors, said a commentator talking of the two captains – who meet on Tuesday – when India and New Zealand couldn’t even take the field for their much-anticipated game in the CWC 2019 league phase. The frenzy of that fancied meeting of two best and top-ranked teams in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 has long disappeared especially after New Zealand fell flat following three successive defeats in their last three games.

India Vs New Zealand CWC19 Semi-Final Preview: Playing XI and Key Battles to Watch Out For

Except for the fact that Kohli is now the leader of a nonchalant Indian side - bold and brave and functions in his mould. Meanwhile, Williamson is still trying to break through the shadows of a long-gone Brendon McCullum. The 28-year-old, however, can do so with a victory. New Zealand’s dodgy record in semi-finals (1/7) presents him with an opportunity to rub-off the ‘semi-finals champion’ tag and move beyond obscurity – perhaps lift their maiden World Cup title and reach grandeur – but beyond India, waits greatness.

India though remains unperturbed by the big occasion. The days of nervousness and hysterics have bounced over and out. The men in blue will be playing their seventh semi-final in eight ICC tournaments. They finished top of the points table and other than a blip against England, India had everything in their tank to destroy the opponent – be it Bumrah’s irreplaceable yorkers or Shami’s soaring opening spells and Rohit’s glorious hundreds or Pandya’s short bursts of magnificence.

India Vs New Zealand in Manchester: World Cup Diaries from England and Wales

But few things that have unsettled India most are left-armers, pace and overcast conditions, which New Zealand has in abundance. Trent Boult swayed the Indian batting-order to his chin music in the warm-ups and with cloudy conditions predicted for Tuesday, India might need to be awake for its most important task in what many players said was ‘just another game.’ Lockie Ferguson will also return and his pace and accurate bouncers in the middle-overs might be India’s biggest test against the Black Caps.

Rohit and co. though can take pride from how they tackled Mitchell Starc and Jofra Archer, but the shaky Indian middle-order will seek to unleash itself finally if progression to the CWC 2019 final is in their minds. Boult was present 11 years ago when the international cricket arena  - for the first time -  saw a great future for the current India and New Zealand skippers.

Kohli though got the better of Williamson that night on February 27 through his all-round performance. Kohli, then 18, removed Williamson and finished with figures 2/27 before hitting a class 43 runs in a low-scoring game. But the Kiwi captain had the slightest revenge with a full-length dive catch to remove his opposite number. Will Williamson exact his full revenge or will Kohli’s India take another step towards a third World Cup title?

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 09, 2019 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).