MCA Stadium Pune Ground Stats For NZ vs SA World Cup 2023 Match
Pune plays host to New Zealand and South Africa (Twitter)
New Zealand and South Africa face-off in what promises to be a thrilling league-stage encounter of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday (November 1). The in-form BlackCaps take on the mighty Proteas as the two nations strive to book an early ticket to the knock-outs stage of the marquee competition on Indian shores.
Separated by a win in the top rung of the ten-team points table, the South Africans are placed second in the standings to numero uno India with five victories in six matches while their Kiwi counterparts are positioned one spot below with four wins in just as many games.
The Proteas are heading to Pune with a close-fought win over Pakistan under their belt and the BlackCaps fell second to arch-rivals Australia in a thriller for the ages in their last match. Here is an opportunity for both teams to consolidate their position and progress further in the standings.
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium Ground Stats
Known for its steep bounce and lateral movement under lights, the surface at the MCA Stadium in Pune provides an ideal setting for a New Zealand-South Africa World Cup clash. Two pace-dominant sides will relish the conditions on offer with their seam attacks, apart from enjoying the bounce with their stroke-makers.
Nine previous One-Day Internationals have been played at the venue with a near-equal record for teams batting first and chasing. On Monday (October 30), Afghanistan ruffled the Sri Lankan feathers at the ground by restricting the opposition to a modest 242 in the first and chasing it down with seven wickets intact.
| Matches Played | 9 |
|---|---|
| Matches Won Batting First | 4 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 5 |
| Highest Team Total | 356/4 by India against England (2017) |
| Lowest Team Total | 232 by India against Australia (2013) |
| Average Runs Per Over | 6.01 |
| Average Runs Per Wicket | 37.75 |
| Average Total Batting 1st | 297 |
One of the hardest games to call, the New Zealand-South Africa clash would depend heavily on how the two teams shape up on the day. No foregone conclusions can be made about the match ahead but the Proteas seem to have more basis covered at this stage, even though historically the Kiwis have dominated this match-up in World Cups.
 "Kashish Chadha")
