New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson praised his bowlers ahead of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final clash against Pakistan at the SCG in Sydney on Wednesday.
Semi-final clash
The Kiwis performed a tremendous performance in the Super 12s, finishing first in Group 1. While there were some spectacular batting performances throughout the tournament, Williamson believes the consistency of his bowlers was also important in their run to the semi-finals.
“They’re seasoned players for us, after all. They’ve been playing for us for a long time, whether it’s getting wickets or, more specifically, adjusting to situations in which we certainly need them to come to tournaments and international events, which is a significant part of playing “In the pre-match news conference on Tuesday, Williamson stated.
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“So far, they’ve performed admirably throughout the competition. And we’ll have to make those changes again tomorrow when we play at a different stadium against a different opponent “He said. Three of New Zealand’s five bowlers in this event have an economy rate of fewer than seven. Tim Southee (6.35), Mitchell Santner (6.43), and Ish Sodhi (6.78) have all performed admirably. Only Lockie Ferguson (8.13) and Trent Boult (7.18) have been a touch pricey, but they have done the job for the Kiwis as true wicket-takers.
Williamson went on to discuss the site and the circumstances. They have already played in Sydney twice in this competition, but he does not believe it will provide them an edge in the encounter tomorrow. I think it’s sort of intriguing since the wicket was quite nice in the first game we played here.” Then things changed the second time we played here. And sometimes you may take what you expected the wicket to be like in the first game and anticipate it to perform the same way in the second game, which it didn’t.
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It’s difficult to say if this is a drawback or a benefit. Both sides have played at this venue. So we really need to focus on our cricket and the strategies we want to execute, making sure we react to the circumstances and attempt to play intelligently.”
Pakistan vs New Zealand, semi-final clash
Prior to the World Cup, New Zealand and Pakistan competed in a tri-series with Bangladesh. The Kiwis lost to Pakistan in the final, and when questioned about the significance of that series to this crucial match, Williamson stated, “I mean, we have a formidable squad. We know it will be a difficult contest.
It’s difficult to tell if this is a drawback or a benefit. Both teams have played here. So we really need to focus on our cricket and the strategies we want to execute, and make sure we react to the conditions and attempt to play intelligently.”
Prior to the World Cup, New Zealand and Pakistan played a tri-series with Bangladesh. When questioned about the significance of that series to this key match, Williamson answered, “I mean, we have a terrific squad. We know it’s going to be a tough match. They have an excellent tempo attack. As previously said, they have been playing excellent cricket. They have match-winners on their team that are quite experienced. As a result, that is a significant advantage for them.”
When it comes to ICC tournaments, New Zealand has been a very steady side. They finished second in both the 2019 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup last year. They are back in the semi-finals and will be hoping to advance all the way to the final. When asked what the key to their consistency in important events was, Williamson answered, “It’s just focusing on our cricket.”
“You go to these competitions, and as we’ve seen, all teams can beat each other, making it an intriguing event. I suppose you’re going through it trying to react to the situation as soon as possible, making those modifications to the varied opponents, and really going out and trying to express yourself. It’s been great to witness that throughout the course of this tournament. And I definitely want to do it again tomorrow.”