IND Vs NZ 2nd ODI : This city will host its first ever International match

Can India clinch their 2nd ODI series of 2023?

After a hard fought and a very close marginal victory in the 1st ODI, India will host New Zealand for the 2nd ODI. A win today will ensure another ODI series win in 2023 for the Men in blues who are also going to be the hosts for the ICC Cricket World cup 2023.

𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝘿𝙖𝙮!

Hello from Raipur 👋🏻

Not long to go for the second #INDvNZ ODI to begin 👌🏻#TeamIndia | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/krA5vxfxUM

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 21, 2023

They received the perfect start against Sri-Lanka after whitewashing them by 3-0 and now its time for the Kiwis to test their luck. 3 days ago at Hyderabad, it looked like India’s bowling line-up needs more re-adjustments as defending a high total of 350 runs seemed very difficult.

2023 ODI series 3/0 India vs SriLanka pic.twitter.com/evA0wZlCut

— Papu Telming (@PTelming) January 16, 2023

That was a narrow win and it happened because of Shardul Thakur’s point blank Yorker which struck the pads of Micheal Bracewell who was embracing the pitch’s condition. Had the kiwis kept their wickets safe, a win was in their grip. But home town boy Mohammad Siraj’s extra-ordinary bowling (4/46) helped India get over the line.

And today, Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Singh stadium will host its first ever International cricket match. The condition of this pitch favorably suits the bowler much than the batter. It is known for getting slower as the overs go by but its only a matter of time once the batters gets set and sees the ball better, they can score runs.

Match-ready Raipur 👌 👌#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/KuOaOFgSv0

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 20, 2023

As for bowling, the pitch can aid the bowlers especially with the new ball and also offer a good amount of bounce as well. India can opt for Umran Malik in place of Mohammad Shami but the latter can also perform well in these conditions.

The Shaheed Veer Singh stadium has previously hosted a number of matches in the IPL and they have been comparatively low scoring than usual. Winning the Toss will be decisive and batting first could be a more reliable option than bowling first.

The pitch is expected to get slower as the match advances and it can get a little tough for the chasers.