AHMEDABAD - New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is embracing the underdog role for Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final against hosts India. Ahead of the match at the partisan Narendra Modi Stadium, Santner stated the team's goal is to "break a few hearts" and lift their first global T20 crown.
New Zealand enters the final after a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa. Santner emphasized the team's consistency and ability to perform without being "overawed by the situation or opponents." He acknowledged the immense pressure on India to win on home soil, noting the potential to silence the crowd of over 100,000 spectators, echoing Australia's 2023 one-day World Cup final triumph at the same venue.
"The goal is to silence the crowd," Santner said. "There are a lot of variables in T20 cricket and it is fickle at times. If we go out about our business the same way we can upset another big team. There's obviously a lot of pressure on in there (on India) to win this World Cup at home."
Santner highlighted the importance of taking early wickets to disrupt India's formidable top order and maintain control in the middle overs. He also commended the squad's depth, citing Cole McConchie's seamless integration after replacing an injured player. Santner urged his team to approach the high-stakes final with the same mindset as any other game.