New Zealand's 5 highest wicket-takers against India in ODIs ft. Tim Southee

India and New Zealand are set to lock horns in the 2023 World Cup semifinal in Mumbai in what promises to be an absolute humdinger of a game. The Kiwis beat the Men in Blue four years ago when they faced off at the same stage in the previous edition of the tournament in England.

One of the main reasons why the Kiwis have dominated India in ICC events of late has been their potent bowling. Especially in ODI cricket, there have been some bowlers who have relished the opportunity to play against India and have raised their game by a notch while facing this particular opposition.

On that note, let's take a look at the five highest wicket-takers for New Zealand against India in ODIs:

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#5 Martin Snedden

Martin Snedden was known for his subtle variations in pace and also his ability to use the long handle down the order. He had a bigger impact for the Kiwis in ODIs than in Tests, playing 93 ODIs and picking up 114 wickets.

He seemed to love playing against India, having picked up 26 wickets in 18 ODIs with best bowling figures of 3/23. He also represented New Zealand in 25 Test matches, picking up 58 scalps.

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#4 Daniel Vettori

One of the finest left-arm spinners the game has seen, Daniel Vettori had that deception in his bowling, something very crucial for spinners especially when most of the surfaces they bowl on at home don't aid a lot of turn. He also captained New Zealand and was a part of the team that played the 2015 World Cup final.

Vettori played 36 ODIs against India, picking up 27 wickets at a fantastic economy rate of just 4.65. The Men in Blue have traditionally had good players of spin, which makes the record look even more impressive from Vettori.

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#3 Richard Hadlee

Sir Richard Hadlee is considered as arguably the greatest pace bowler produced by New Zealand. Alongside the likes of Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Ian Botham, Hadlee was also considered as a wicket-taker who could contribute crucial runs with the bat.

While Hadlee picked up the same number of wickets in ODIs against India as Vettori (27), he did it in just 20 games at an outstanding economy rate of 3.36. He also has a five-wicket haul to his name against the Indians, ending up with best figures of 5/32 in a World Series game back in 1980. It ended up being a thriller as the Kiwis lost by five runs, chasing 163.

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#2 Kyle Mills

Another fast bowler from New Zealand who was known to use the long handle when needed, Kyle Mills was the new-ball bowler for the Kiwis in his prime and could set up games by picking wickets upfront.

In 29 ODIs against the Men in Blue, Mills picked up as many as 32 wickets at an economy rate of 4.39. He still remains the highest wicket-taker for New Zealand among fast bowlers with 240 scalps and is only behind Vettori (297 wickets) in the all-time list among his compatriots.

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#1 Tim Southee

Arguably one of the few genuine swing bowlers going around in world cricket at the moment, Tim Southee continues to stay impactful through his sheer determination and longevity. He is the third-highest wicket-taker for the Kiwis in ODIs with 218 wickets, behind Mills and Vettori.

One of the main reasons why India need to be wary of Tim Southee is the way he steps up while facing the Men in Blue. In 24 ODIs, Southee has picked up 35 wickets against this particular opposition with best figures of 4/49. He could be more than handful for the Kiwis if he gets the new ball to talk in the semifinal.