Black Caps v Sri Lanka: Mitchell Santner’s side ready for spin challenge in T20 World Cup Super Eights clash
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner said yesterday that adapting to slow-turning pitches in Colombo would be key for their crucial T20 World Cup clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka.
The Black Caps need a win in their second Super Eights match in Group 2 tomorrow morning (NZT) at the R Premadasa Stadium after their first match against Pakistan was washed out at the same venue.
Santner’s team have been in the Sri Lankan capital for a week after finishing their group stage in India.
“I guess that’s the challenge when you play a tournament in two countries – we played in Chennai and Ahmedabad on flat pitches and here we have to play a bit differently,” Santner told reporters.
“But I think you pick a squad of 15, knowing that you could potentially be in both countries on slightly slower wickets, on some flat ones as well.”
Santner, a left-arm spinner, said: “So I think we have the spin kind of options covered as well, which is nice, but it’s just going out there and adjusting as fast as you can.”
Sri Lanka come into the contest in a must-win situation after they suffered a huge loss to England in their Super Eights opener in Kandy.
But Santner said Sri Lanka are always a tough nut to crack in their own den.
“Sri Lanka are a very strong side at home and they dominate conditions here,” said Santner.
“They are missing a couple of players but there’s quality in that line-up. We are lucky that we have played them a lot in recent years and there are no secrets.”
New Zealand have one point from the rained-off match, while Sri Lanka stay bottom among four teams in the Super Eights group.
A defeat for New Zealand will dent their chances of making the semi-finals.
“Any game in the Super Eight is sort of knockout,” said Santner. “We know that it is the same for Sri Lanka. We want to put out a good show tomorrow and walk out with a win.”
England book spot in semi-finals
Captain Harry Brook scored his first T20 international century to take England into the World Cup semi-finals with a two-wicket win against Pakistan in the Super Eights.
Brook, batting at number three for the first time in a T20 international, scored exactly 100 off 51 deliveries as England chased down their target of 165 with five balls to spare, despite a late wobble.
The victory puts England on four points, with New Zealand and Pakistan on one and Sri Lanka still on zero. If the Black Caps beat Sri Lanka on Thursday they would have one foot in the semi-finals, with a Pakistan win over Sri Lanka and a defeat in their final match against England denying them.