New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is confident ahead of the T20 World Cup final vs India, saying his side would not mind “breaking a few hearts” to claim the title.
Speaking before Sunday’s showdown, Santner said New Zealand are prepared for a tough challenge against the defending champions and tournament hosts, but remains determined to fight for the trophy.
The highly anticipated final will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where more than 100,000 home fans are expected to fill the stands to support India.
New Zealand previously reached the 2021 T20 World Cup final, where they were defeated by the Australia. The Black Caps are still chasing their first major white-ball World Cup title.
“I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said, acknowledging that his team is not considered the favourite going into the final.
“It’s obviously going to be a challenge, and everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites,” he added. “But I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.”
Preparations of big clash in full swing
Meanwhile peparations for the big clash between India and New Zealand are in full swing ahead of the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The two teams will face each other for the title in Ahmedabad on Sunday (today), and cricket fans are expecting a thrilling encounter. India reached the final by winning a thrilling semi-final match against England.
In that match, the Indian team batted first and posted a massive total of 253 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. In response, the England batsmen fought hard but fell short by just seven runs. Meanwhile, New Zealand defeated South Africa by nine wickets in the other semi-final, dominating a one-sided match. The Kiwi team displayed excellent form by chasing down the target of 170 runs in just 12.5 overs, comfortably securing their place in the final.
Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla, commenting on the performance of India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, said that in recent matches, he has been bowling too many full-length or very short deliveries, which has caused him difficulties. According to Chawla, Chakravarthy’s real strength lies in bowling at a hard length, where the ball bounces up to knee height, making it difficult for batsmen to play.
Why did New Zealand Captain take photo of pitch?
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has followed the footsteps of Australian captain Pat Cummins by taking a photo of the pitch, just as Cummins did before the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final, in which Australia defeated India.
A day before the match, a picture of Mitchell Santner went viral on social media, showing him taking a photo of the pitch.
Australian captain Pat Cummins did the same before the 2023 World Cup final, in which Australia defeated India.
While inspecting the pitch a day before the match is normal, taking a photograph is seen by some as a sign of low confidence in the BCCI.
According to Indian media reports, the BCCI is providing every possible facility to ensure the success of its team.
A pitch similar to the one used in the semi-final against England is likely to be prepared to favour the Indian team.
Read more: Why ICC T20 World Cup participating teams’ players still stranded in India?
