New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is optimistic about the Champions Trophy final on Sunday. He believes his team can draw confidence from the positive aspects of their previous match against India, despite the defeat.
On Wednesday night, New Zealand secured their place in the final with a dominant 50-run victory over South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium. After the match, Santner shared his thoughts on the upcoming challenge in Dubai.
“I think today we were challenged by a good side, and I think I guess now we look forward to Dubai, and we’ve had a go there already against India. So yeah, we’re probably expecting something similar on the surface, and I guess we’ll get there and recover and then be ready to go,” he said in the post-match presentation.
Learning from the Past
Although New Zealand started strong against India in the group stage, they eventually struggled against spin and lost by 44 runs. However, instead of focusing on the defeat, Santner prefers to take away the positives.
“Yeah, I think, you know, being there and putting them under pressure at times last game was good for us, you know, confidence going forward, you know, we kind of obviously had a look at them, they had a look at us, but you know, you kind of take out, you know, what things work, what doesn’t work so much, I think, you know, our big boys bowled extremely well to chip three out at the top. Yeah, and obviously, winning a toss might be nice as well,” he added.
Chasing Their First ICC ODI Title in 25 Years
Since their historic Champions Trophy victory in 2000 against India, New Zealand has been chasing another ICC ODI title. Now, after 25 years, they finally have a golden opportunity to end their long wait.
To claim the trophy, they must once again defeat India. Fortunately, their previous encounter in the group stage has given them valuable insights into India’s strategies and the playing conditions.
Dominant Performance Against South Africa
New Zealand displayed an exceptional performance in the semifinal. Kane Williamson (102) and Rachin Ravindra (108) took charge with outstanding centuries. While Ravindra stuck to his natural attacking style, Williamson adjusted his approach and played aggressively to take full advantage of the batting-friendly conditions.
Furthermore, their 164-run partnership laid a solid foundation for Daryl Mitchell (49) and Glenn Phillips (49*), who capitalized on the momentum. As a result, they unleashed an aggressive assault on South Africa’s bowlers, propelling New Zealand to a massive total of 360 runs.
Praising Williamson’s contribution, Santner said, “He keeps doing it. That partnership was massive for us; he was able to keep going in the middle phase. South Africa challenged us, but we were able to cash in and score 360. We felt 320 might not be enough.”
Santner Leads the Bowling Attack
With the ball, Santner played a crucial role, claiming 3/43 and dismissing key players Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Heinrich Klaasen. Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra (1/20) and Glenn Phillips (2/27) also contributed by securing three wickets collectively.
“It was really pleasing for me to take three scalps today. It makes my job easier; we have four all-rounders who can bowl spin, and they can bat as well. Rachin’s five overs were great,” Santner stated.
Injury Concern for Matt Henry
However, New Zealand faced an injury scare in the 29th over when Matt Henry hurt his shoulder while attempting a catch. As a result, he left the field for medical attention. Nevertheless, he returned later and bowled the 44th over. Despite his injury, he managed to dismiss Kagiso Rabada in the 46th over, finishing with figures of 2/43.
Providing an update on Henry’s condition, Santner said, “I have to wait and see how Matt Henry’s shoulder is. It’s a bit sore. We have to wait for a couple of days and see.”
As the final approaches, New Zealand is hopeful for Henry’s quick recovery. Now, their primary focus is on overcoming India and finally ending their 25-year wait for an ICC ODI title.
