‘There will be nerves’: India face New Zealand for T20 World Cup glory
India face New Zealand on Sunday in Ahmedabad looking to become the first side to lift the T20 World Cup for a third time but under huge pressure with the weight of a nation on their shoulders.
Standing in the way of Suryakumar Yadav’s side are a team who have already upset the odds with a thumping nine-wicket win over the previously unbeaten South Africa to reach the final.
New Zealand believe, after Finn Allen’s record 33-ball century in the semi-final in Kolkata, that they are capable of taking down the hosts to win their maiden T20 World Cup title.
“We’ve got a lot of momentum going into the weekend,” warned Allen.
“I think if we play our best cricket we can beat anybody.”
India will not only have to withstand the expectations of 100,000-plus cricket-obsessed fans in a packed Narendra Modi stadium and hundreds of millions more watching on TV, but also the weight of history.
The world’s top-ranked T20 team are attempting to become the first to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.
“There will definitely be pressure and nerves, especially playing in India and going for the title,” said Suryakumar after a nerve-shredding seven-run win against England in a high-scoring semi-final.
“But the boys and the whole support staff are excited as well.”
India have effectively played three knockout games to reach the final, after losing their opening Super Eights match to South Africa.
They hammered Zimbabwe by 72 runs and chased down 196 to beat the West Indies in must-win games to reach Thursday’s semi-final against England.
After posting a mammoth 253-7 against Harry Brook’s side, India needed a pivotal 18th over from death-bowling master Jasprit Bumrah to stave off an England batting assault.
Bumrah conceded just six runs from his final over to leave England with too much to do and, despite Jacob Bethell’s 105, India held on to spark wild celebrations.
Suryakumar acknowledged he was lucky to have such a unique talent to call upon in the crucial moments.
The main concerns for India are the form of opening batsman Abhishek Sharma and leading spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
Both are number one in the International Cricket Council T20 rankings but have been out of sorts as the tournament heads to its climax.
Abhishek had three consecutive ducks in the group phase and his only score of any note was a fifty against Zimbabwe.
Chakravarthy was targeted mercilessly by England’s batsmen at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium as they pummelled him for 64 runs from his four overs.
He has taken just four wickets since the group phase.
Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand have blown hot and cold, having been beaten by South Africa and England earlier in the tournament.
But all their players are hitting form at the right time and they have enough firepower to upset India.
They crucially also have nothing to lose as they will go into the final as huge underdogs.
Opener Tim Seifert, who has three fifties in the tournament, has been consistently setting a platform for the likes of Allen and Glenn Phillips to launch.
“I just looked to play almost a support role to Tim,” said Allen after the semi-final, where Seifert hit 58 off 33 balls as the pair put on 117 for the first wicket in 9.1 overs.
“He’s in incredible form, he’s an incredible player and I think he’s just showing the world what he can do.
“I think that makes it easy for me to sit back and have the best seat in the house.”
| New Zealand want to ‘break a few hearts’ in World Cup final | |
| Ahmedabad, India, AFP: New Zealand will “not mind breaking a few hearts” in the T20 World Cup final against defending champions and hosts India, captain Mitchell Santner said on Saturday. Santner’s side will face India today in Ahmedabad with over 100,000 home fans expected to fill the Narendra Modi Stadium. New Zealand reached the 2021 final, losing to Australia, and have never won a white-ball World Cup. “I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said. “It’s going to be obviously a challenge where everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites. But yeah, I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.” New Zealand have blown hot and cold. They hammered South Africa — unbeaten until then — by nine wickets in the semi-finals after Finn Allen blasted the fastest-ever century at the tournament. But they also lost to South Africa and England earlier in the competition. They face an India side on a roll with three straight wins. In 2023, Australia led by Pat Cummins silenced the home crowd in Ahmedabad in the final of the ODI World Cup. “I guess that’s the goal, is to silence the crowd,” said Santner. “T20 cricket is fickle at times. We’ve seen South Africa playing very good cricket all the way through and then had a little hiccup against us and out. “So I think for us, it’s taking confidence from that and if we go about our business the same way, we can upset another big team.” Top-ranked India are attempting to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first to lift the trophy on home soil. They would also be the first to win the title three times. But they will have to withstand the expectations of a packed house plus hundreds of millions more watching on TV. Santner feels that level of expectation could weigh heavily on them. “So I think that comes with a lot of added pressure as well,” said Santner. “So if we can go out there and try and put, I guess, that added pressure on them and see what happens.” |