NZ Skipper Santner Reflects on Close Second T20 Loss to India

New Zealand’s four-wicket defeat to India in the second T20 International at Hagley Oval has left the home side reflecting on a few crucial moments. India reached New Zealand’s target of 181 with one ball left, after losing six wickets during the chase.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner addressed the media after the game and paid tribute to the Indian trio of Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy. He believed his side had been only one wicket away from a much stronger position.

“We were playing a very good team, so this was probably going to be a tough night,” Santner said. “Tilak, Naman and then Reddy towards the end did really well. I feel that if we had taken one more wicket, the match would have almost been over. The way they managed the chase and took advantage of a few of our errors deserves credit.”

Santner also spoke about spin, the wider bowling plans and the contribution of Glenn Phillips. He said the New Zealand bowlers had started the innings well, and that stopping a side from getting away quickly in a chase of around 180 is key.

He said Bracewell had bowled well through the middle overs and claimed some important wickets. However, no-balls, including one that resulted in a dismissal, were errors that proved costly.

On the skills front, Santner said his team had performed strongly over the last two matches. Small lapses in fielding and a few minor mistakes, he said, had cost them at key moments.

He lauded Glenn Phillips for a brilliant innings and gave credit to Bevon Jacobs for handling a difficult situation. After losing three early wickets, the pair rebuilt the innings. Santner said the score was close to 60 after 10 overs, but the pitch rewarded batters who took time and played a few overs before accelerating.

On the injuries to Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, who both left the field, Santner said the moves appeared to be precautionary. He hopes both will recover quickly. He also indicated that rotation was likely across the series and in the ODI matches, given how frequently games are scheduled.