Hosts India Braced For 'Pressure' World Cup Semi-Final Against New Zealand

India may be the outstanding team at the Cricket World Cup but New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has insisted both sides will "start from zero again" when they meet in Wednesday's semi-final in Mumbai. Tournament hosts India head into the knockout match having won all nine of their group game, with star man Virat Kohli the event's leading batsman with 594 runs and captain Rohit Sharma not far behind on 503. Meanwhile, India boast a formidable fast-bowling line-up in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami.

If successful teams are fortunate as well as good, then India certainly had a lucky break when an injury to all-rounder Hardik Pandya paved the way for Shami's return, with the experienced seamer having since taken 16 wickets in five matches at a stunningly low average of under 10.

In addition spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are also capable of taking wickets without being flogged for runs.

And yet the fact remains India have been waiting since a 2011 triumph over Sri Lanka in Mumbai to win a third World Cup title, while their last major piece of silverware was the 2013 Champions Trophy.

New Zealand, losing finalists at the last two 50-over World Cups, won their opening four games of this edition only to lose their next four.

But fast bowler Ferguson told reporters ahead of a training session in Mumbai on Monday: "We kind of all start from zero again. So come Wednesday, it'll be a good challenge."

Four years ago, New Zealand defeated India by just 18 runs in a rain-affected World Cup semi-final in Manchester that spanned two days.

"That was obviously very pleasing for us at the time but four years have gone past, we've played a lot of cricket in between," said Ferguson.

Five of the India side