Kolkata: Following a massive victory against South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final, Mitchell Santner has set his sights on the final scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad. In the semi-final encounter, his team successfully chased down a target of 170 runs in just 12.3 overs. After this emphatic win, Santner stated that the team would strive to repeat this level of performance in the final, although he acknowledged that the pitch and playing conditions in the upcoming match would be completely different.
As per agency report, the New Zealand team maintained pressure on South Africa from the very beginning of the match at Eden Gardens. Their bowlers dismissed key batters Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton within the powerplay itself. When it was New Zealand's turn to bat, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert scored 84 runs in the powerplay, significantly reducing the challenge of the 170-run target. Santner noted that the match could have been difficult had they lost wickets in the powerplay, but the openers maintained an attacking approach from the outset. He added that Finn Allen kept the momentum going even after wickets fell. Regarding their bowling strategy, Santner mentioned they had a specific plan for the first two overs involving McConchie to secure wickets, after which they decided to adapt their decisions based on the flow of the game.
South African captain Aiden Markram appeared to agree with Santner's assessment. Referring to Allen's innings, Markram commented that when a batter plays in such a manner, the match often slips away from the opposition. He admitted that reaching a score of 170 was an honest effort, but in T20 cricket, a rapid start in the powerplay often determines the direction of the match. He gave significant credit to the innings played by Finn Allen and Tim Seifert for taking the game out of their hands very quickly. Allen's century marked the first-ever century in the knockouts of the Men's T20 World Cup history and was also the joint third-fastest in the tournament's history. Furthermore, the pair became the duo with the highest run partnership in a Men's T20 series or tournament.
Describing the partnership as a special performance, Santner said that while the score of 170 looked good at the break, the aggressive start by the batters made the difference. Addressing the team's strategy, he explained that every loss provides a learning opportunity, referring to their previous defeat against South Africa in the league stage. He emphasized that their focus in this match was to maintain pressure throughout. Looking ahead to the final in Ahmedabad, Santner observed that the next venue would be different, citing factors such as the difference between red and black soil pitches. He expressed hope that the team, having played a complete game in the semi-final, would be able to deliver a similar performance in the final.
