World Cup 2019, India vs New Zealand: 3 players who can win the game for India

India plays New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham in the 18th match of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 on Thursday. Just as Virat Kohli's men come into this game on the back of a win over Australia, New Zealand too won their last game against Afghanistan by seven wickets.

The two sides met in a warm-up fixture before the World Cup began in a game which saw the Indian team falter against the challenge from New Zealand. However, with India coming into this game with confidence, the Black Caps will need to be vary of the challenge they are bound to face.

In light of the upcoming encounter, here are three key players who can win the game for India.

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#1 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya's aggression with the bat could be key for India

In India's previous World Cup match against Australia at The Oval on Sunday, Hardik Pandya belted 48 off 27 balls to take the team's total towards a competitive 352. His impressive knock consisted of four hits to the boundary and three over it as he continued his big-hitting form.

Pandya's ability to clear the boundaries with ease has come to his advantage many a time and it goes without saying that his wicket will be a crucial one for the Kiwis when India take them on at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday.

Apart from his pyrotechnics with the ball in hand, Pandya's medium pacers have often troubled the best of batsmen and with the pitch bound to assist seamers, the all-rounder will be banked on to cause some issues with the ball as well.

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#2 Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah will be a key part of India's bowling unit

Jasprit Bumrah has been brilliant for India in white ball cricket over the last twelve months. He is a vital cog in the Indian bowling wheel, and along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, can wreak havoc in the opposition ranks with the new ball in hand.

Bumrah has that rare ability to swing the ball both ways at a lively pace, and combined with the unusual action of his, the Gujarat fast bowler is going to be a real threat to the New Zealand top-order at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

India's X-factor in this tournament, Bumrah's 3/61 against Australia at The Oval on Sunday was a big contributor in India's win and he can be pipped to trouble the New Zealand batsmen up front and at the death as well.

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#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a wily exponent of swing bowling and can threaten to tear New Zealand's batting apart on Thursday at Trent Bridge. In recent times, Kumar has also improved on cranking up the pace, which could come to good use at Nottingham.

The Uttar Pradesh seamer bagged three wickets for fifty runs against Australia at The Oval and there is every possibility that he can do even better on Thursday. His ability to trouble batsmen with the moving ball up front and his variations in the death can come to good use.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be relying on Kumar to make the most of the conditions on offer with the new ball in hand and it is highly probable that Kumar finishes with the most wickets for India from this game.

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