CHENNAI: In a cricketing world riven by turbulence and chaos, New Zealand would look to avoid inflicting further turmoil on itself when it takes on Afghanistan in Group D of the T20 World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
More than the recent 4-1 pasting it endured at the hands of a dominant India, a result that wasn’t surprising, given how India has grown accustomed to riding roughshod over everyone both on and off the field, what should worry New Zealand even more is its outcome against Afghanistan in Providence on June 8, 2024 in the preceding edition of World T20.
Until that tournament, the Kiwis reveled in an enviable reputation of being supremely consistent at global events, unfailingly progressing to the knockout stages. All that went pear shaped on that fateful evening as it crashed to a demoralizing 84-run loss that pushed it closer to a premature exit.
Losing is one thing, but the manner of that capitulation was uncharacteristic of New Zealand that is renowned for punching above its weight, taking the conditions and opponents out of the equation with customary panache. Cut to the present, the current New Zealand team is devoid of Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, and will have to contend with being placed in a Group that is billed as the Group of Death. Last edition’s runner-up South Africa, Canada and UAE complete the five-team Group.
Having been in India for nearly a month will have greatly helped the Kiwis in acclimatizing to the challenging conditions particularly when it comes to dealing with dew. On Sunday, however, with the match scheduled for 11 am start, the threat of dew can safely be put on the back burner. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner reposed faith in the opening combination of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert to provide explosive starts.
“I think both of them can obviously hit sixes with ease, but it’s about playing the conditions, playing the opposition, and I think there’s smarts that go with them too as well, which when they back together it’s cool to see.
“Even if it’s I think you identify match-ups and try to go from there. So, I think it will be no different tomorrow (Sunday). See where the threats are, see what the options they want to take, and just give them the freedom to go out there and bat.”
Santner’s counterpart, Rashid Khan, said his team is unfazed by the task awaiting it and welcomed the addition of four more teams, taking the number to 20 as opposed to 16 in 2024.
“It’s always good to have more teams in the World Cup, that’s why lots of nations come in and you see new talent, which you haven’t seen and different teams come in, they give tough time to the oppositions and I think that’s how the World Cup becomes bigger and bigger,” Rashid said.