November 13th 2023.
The anticipation for the India vs New Zealand semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2023 is building up in Mumbai. After Diwali, the city is gearing up for another festival of cricket as the Men in Blue aim to exact revenge on the Black Caps for knocking them out of the 2019 edition. With an impressive nine consecutive wins in the league stage, Rohit Sharma’s squad is establishing itself as the team to beat in this World Cup.
Hotels in Mumbai are cashing in on the opportunity to boost sales right after Diwali festivities. Five-star establishments such as The Oberoi at Nariman Point are demanding up to ₹90,000 for a suite, while The Trident hotel is starting rates from ₹32,000. Prices have surged by nearly 80%, with other renowned hotels like the Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba charging ₹56,000 and the Taj Mahal Tower asking for ₹41,300. Two- and three-star hotels have also raised their prices from ₹3,000-10,000 to approximately ₹5,000-18,000 per night during the semi-finals.
India is the only team which is undefeated in the tournament so far, but they will have to be wary of the Kiwis who have a dominant record against them in the knockout stage of ICC events. New Zealand beat them in the semifinal clash of the 2019 edition in Manchester and in the final of the World Test Championship in 2021. But India can take comfort in the fact that the Black Caps have lost four out of their last five games, including the one against India in Dharamsala.
On November 15, the past records and results won't matter. The stage is set at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the same venue where India lifted their second ODI World Cup trophy under MS Dhoni in 2011. Fans are scrambling to get tickets and secure hotel accommodations for what is sure to be a blockbuster clash, and with Rohit Sharma playing a crucial role in the team’s fortunes, India will be hoping for a similar result this time around.
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