Mitchell Santner Updates on Matt Henry Ahead of T20 World Cup Semifinal

New Zealand Prepares for Semifinal Showdown

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 3: As New Zealand gears up for their T20 World Cup semifinal against South Africa, captain Mitchell Santner provided insights regarding pacer Matt Henry, who had to return home for the birth of his child.

The upcoming match at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium promises to be thrilling, featuring two teams yet to claim a World Cup title in either the 20-over or 50-over formats. Henry's presence is vital, especially given his impressive performance with the new ball. He left the squad after their last Super Eight match against England on February 27.

Throughout the tournament, Henry has secured seven wickets in seven games, boasting an average of 21.71, with his best figures being 2/3 and an economy rate of 7.41.

During the pre-match press conference, Santner mentioned that Henry would have a "little run" before the game to assess his readiness, confirming that he would arrive in India on Tuesday night.

"Matt is currently in transit and will land tonight. We will evaluate how he feels – it’s quite a journey from New Zealand. He’ll have a light run in the morning to see if he’s fit to play," the skipper stated.

New Zealand's path to the semifinals was tense, as they relied on Pakistan's performance after losing to England. A win by 64 runs or a chase within 13.1 overs against Sri Lanka would have pushed Pakistan ahead of New Zealand in net run rate. However, fifties from Pavan Rathnayake and captain Dasun Shanaka kept the margin close, allowing the Kiwis to advance.

Santner described the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka as a "nervy" experience. "I had a few teammates in my room, but I had to step out because it was quite stressful. Pakistan has played well throughout the tournament, as has Sri Lanka. The margins are very fine, and we’ve seen potential upsets throughout the competition. At every stage, the goal is to progress, whether from the Super 8 or now to the semifinals. It’s a single game that can lead to advancement, and we’re here now, which is great, but we know we face a strong opponent tomorrow," he added.

Regarding the pitch conditions in India, Santner noted, "The wickets aren’t spinning as much as they used to, unfortunately. However, it’s been a fantastic journey. We love playing cricket in India, and the fans are a huge part of that. They come out in large numbers, and tomorrow will be no different. The boys are excited, especially those experiencing their first World Cup and semifinals in front of a big crowd."

He also acknowledged that as a team yet to win a World Cup in either ODI or T20I formats, they are aware of South Africa's past heartbreak against India in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, where they narrowly missed a chase of 177 runs. Santner praised South Africa's performance throughout the tournament, noting they are the only unbeaten team in the semifinals.

"We’ve been playing solid cricket as well. It will come down to who performs best on the day and who adapts to the conditions. South Africa is a formidable opponent, and we aim to apply pressure at various stages of the game, just as they will do to us. While we’re not at the final yet, this is a significant match, and we’ll see how it unfolds. South Africa has shown they are a well-rounded team throughout this tournament," he remarked.

When asked about lessons learned from their earlier seven-wicket defeat to South Africa at the same venue, Santner acknowledged that South Africa's batting during the powerplay was crucial in that match. He admitted that New Zealand has yet to play a flawless game in the tournament.

"That’s a positive for us; if we can put everything together, we’ll be in a strong position. There are no secrets about what each team will bring. We expect them to field a strong lineup, and they likely know our strategy as well," Santner explained.

"Ultimately, it’s about adapting quickly to the pitch conditions. We know that if we can penetrate their top order, their middle order is also powerful. It might be about managing overs effectively and aiming for a competitive score, perhaps 180 instead of 220. We’ll have to wait and see, but they seem to have all bases covered, which is why they remain undefeated in this tournament," he concluded.