Santner backs New Zealand in ‘one-off game’ against powerful South Africa

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner believes his side can rise to the occasion against South Africa in their T20 World Cup semi-final, backing his team to deliver in what he described as a “one-off game”.

New Zealand secured their place in the knockout stage only after Pakistan slipped up against Sri Lanka, a match Santner admitted was difficult to watch. “It was pretty nervy,” he said. “I had a few of the boys in my room watching, but it got a bit too much so I had to leave.”

Now through to the semi-finals, New Zealand face the tournament’s only unbeaten side in South Africa. The two teams met earlier in the group stage, where South Africa took control after a competitive start and went on to win comfortably.

Santner acknowledged the strength of the South African batting line-up, particularly their power hitting. “South Africa have a lot of power,” he said. “They got away to a flyer in the powerplay when we played them earlier. But we haven’t played our perfect game yet in this tournament, and if we can put it together now it will put us in a good position.”

The captain expects a high-scoring contest at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where the pitch appeared flat during the recent India-West Indies match. However, he believes bowlers from both sides could still have an impact.

“With a pitch like that, it might not always be about bowling a team out,” Santner said. “It could be about limiting them. If we bowl first and keep them around 180 instead of letting them reach 220, that could make a big difference.”

Santner also noted the importance of adapting quickly to conditions, especially with the shorter boundaries at Eden Gardens.

Despite the pressure of a knockout clash, Santner said New Zealand are confident. “We back ourselves in one-off games against most teams. Now that we’re here, it’s just about adapting and playing our best cricket.”

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