DUBAI: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said on Saturday mid-match communications and adaptability regarding the pitch in this weekend’s Champions Trophy final against India could be crucial for success.
Sunday’s final in Dubai will determine the winner of the eight-nation tournament, which is being held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
India has played all of their matches in Dubai after refusing to tour Pakistan due to political tensions. They enter the final unbeaten in four matches. The pitches have been notably different between the two host countries.
While Pakistan’s pitches have favored high-scoring games, the slow and turning tracks in Dubai present a different challenge.
“We need to approach the match with an open mind about how the pitch will play and adjust accordingly,” Santner told reporters. “We’ll need to communicate back to the team about what we think a good score is. It could be a 300-run pitch, but it might also end up being a 250-run winning score.”
“There will likely be times when both teams face pressure, but if you can weather that and push through, it could become easier,” he added.
Fast bowler Matt Henry is racing to recover in time for the final after injuring his right shoulder during fielding in the semi-final.
“Matt’s going to bowl and see how he feels,” Santner said. “We’ll make a decision after that.”
New Zealand will be aiming to win the tournament for the second time, having previously triumphed in 2000 when they defeated India in the final.
They also beat India in the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021.
“Hopefully, it’s third time lucky,” Santner remarked. “But we know India will be a tough challenge tomorrow,” he further added.
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