Cricket World Cup 2019: First 10 overs will determine Blackcaps' chances against India - Ian Smith

Blackcaps cricket fans will know early how their team will perform in their sudden-death World Cup semi-final against India on Tuesday night (NZT).

That's how former international wicketkeeper Ian Smith - now a Sky Sport commentator - assesses New Zealand's chances of progressing to the tournament final on the weekend.

Riding a three-game losing streak into the playoffs, the Blackcaps have been largely dismissed as a threat to the title favourites, but Smith sees that as their greatest weapon.

"Whatever we do - whether we bat first or bowl first - whatever happens in the first 10 overs, I think will sum up the match," he told Newshub.

"If we can get early wickets, if we can get the prolific Sharma out and Kohli out in the first 10 overs, we can win the game.

"If Guptill and whoever's with him at the top of the order can take it off Kane Williamson for the first 10 overs, get us off to a really good foundation... massively important as well.

"The toss, I think, is crucial. If it's a half-decent day, you win the toss and bat."

Smith is optimistic about New Zealand's chances of an upset, emphasising that whatever has happened before now is irrelevant.

Captain Kane Williamson has carried the batting, acheiving the best scoring average of the tournament. Pace bowlers Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguons have excelled with the ball, but the opening batsmen have not provided their team with the required foundation for consistent success. 

"I think they've got to draw a line under what they've done," Smith said. "They've got to move on and say this is a one-off occasion - forget about the fact it hasn't gone well and just draw on experience of the past.

"There are some really fine players in there that haven't performed - and we're looking at [opener Martin Guptill] in particular - that really just need to fire up.

"Tomorrow is just one on one, they're under all the pressure, we just need to go out and express ourselves the way we know we can.

"The weight of expectation on India is probably as great as it is on England - we've got nothing like that. In a last-four situation, we're so far fourth, it doesn't matter, so we've got this freedom, I think… almost a free license to go out there and have a damn go."

Dose he think the Blackcaps can prevail?

"I do, because I've seen these guys do it before," he insisted. "I've seen them play really good cricket as a unit and I've seen individual's step up that haven't been Kane Williamson or Trent Boult."

Newshub.

Join us at 9:30pm Tuesday for live updates of the Blackcaps v India Cricket World Cup semi-final