West Indies Aim to Exploit Undercooked New Zealand in World Cup Clash

West Indies captain Rovman Powell believes his team has an advantage over an "undercooked" New Zealand side in their upcoming World Cup Group C clash. Both teams have faced disrupted preparations due to heavy rain and poor practice facilities at the Brian Lara Stadium.

New Zealand's afternoon training session was cut short due to slippery practice strips, while West Indies' floodlit session was canceled altogether. The rainy season in Trinidad has brought adverse weather alerts, with thunderstorms likely.

Powell sees this as an opportunity for West Indies to exploit New Zealand's lack of preparation. "If there's a good time to play New Zealand, I think it's now," he said. "They're a little bit undercooked. The pressure is really on them."

New Zealand coach Gary Stead acknowledged the challenges his team has faced. "The practice wickets got wet out in the middle," he said. "The balls were going through the top of the surface, so we had a good fielding training instead."

New Zealand's batters have struggled to face fast bowling in the nets due to the limited preparation. Stead expects a low-scoring game on Wednesday, unlike England's 267-run total at the same venue in December.

Powell also hinted at a low-scoring match, citing the impact of rain on wicket preparation. "With the rain around, that can play a part in the scores," he said.

New Zealand is expected to make changes to their lineup, with Ish Sodhi and James Neesham potential inclusions. Stead emphasized the importance of matching up well against West Indies' weaknesses.

Despite their poor start, New Zealand needs to win their remaining three matches to qualify for the Super 8s. "We know what's in front of us: we have to win three games and win them well," Stead said. "We know things are stacked against us at the moment, but that's the challenge."

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