Bengaluru, Feb 23: New Zealand aims to leverage the support of Indian cricket fans, embracing their role as the "second favorite team" as they navigate a challenging Super Eight group in the Twenty20 World Cup. All-rounder Daryl Mitchell expressed confidence in the team's ability to reach the semi-finals.
The 2021 finalists face crucial matches against Sri Lanka and England following a washout against Pakistan. Mitchell stated, "We think of ourselves as India's second favorite team and the support that we get in the country is really cool."
New Zealand will compete on Colombo's turning tracks, facing Sri Lanka on Wednesday and England two days later. Mitchell highlighted the team's experience in playing in these conditions over several years. "We all grew up in New Zealand on fast, bouncy, grassy wickets," he noted.
While the team eyes a maiden World Cup trophy, Mitchell emphasized the importance of present focus. "It'd be really nice to get over the line and win a trophy, but there's a lot of cricket to be played between now and then," the 34-year-old said.
Mitchell, a finisher since his 2019 debut, benefits from the strong performance of openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. He described his role as adapting to game situations from the 10-over mark to secure wins.