Captain Kane, New Zealand and ICC knockouts: The Story Continues…

“Mic check, mic check… mic check one, two, three…”

Kane Williamson did it once, twice and didn’t make any noise even while doing it for a couple of more occasions. Some technical issue with the audio output meant the pre-match presser was slightly delayed but Williamson wasn’t complaining. Has he ever?

The Kiwi skipper has continued to be that ideal picture of calmness and has rarely flustered even during the tightest of situations in the middle. For him, it has been a frustrating year with the knee injury, and a freak incident, keeping him out of action but again, he is not complaining and is grateful to be here and leading the side in another ICC knockout fixture.

“Yeah, yeah, an interesting journey for sure, from sort of it not being a chance to getting close and it becoming a reality and something to target and certainly feeling really grateful to be here and then to get back and then break my thumb,” says Williamson at the pre-match presser.

Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts. 

There was a brief pause when the room broke into light laughter but the skipper asserted “it’s not funny” and added, “It was quite frustrating and testing but still feeling that it hadn’t ruled me out so I still was grateful for that and it’s nice to be fitter than perhaps I was yesterday and be sitting here. So personally, it’s great to be here and it’s nice to be a part of this tournament. These tournaments are special and world events in India certainly add to that.

First, the ACL injury, which required surgery, and then a broken thumb from a throw. It surely was a testing period for the experienced campaigner but he didn’t give up. Just like his team didn’t. Even after losing four on the bounce before securing a top-four spot in their last group-stage fixture. New Zealand’s slide during the tournament started from their defeat to India in Dharamsala but Williamson insists finals are a stage where you press the reset button.

“Yeah, I mean that was a great game as well when we played India in pool play. I think when you get to finals, things sort of start again. It’s on the day and I think prior to that, you’re really focusing on two, or whatever it is, six weeks perhaps of good cricket to hold you in good stead at the back end of round-robin play. Because it’s very difficult I think for nine games to kind of micromanage that process.

“It’s about how you want to express yourself as a team day in, day out and assess the conditions in front of you and the different opposition that you keep facing. So yeah, for us it’s looking to do something similar and it’s going into this game with fresh eyes and looking to play what’s in front of us and the conditions will be different again and like I say that’s a big part of the challenge not only the opposition but the change in venue as well,” says Williamson.

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New Zealand, after having their fair share of injury issues throughout the tournament, have a “nice change” because everyone is available for selection. The fresh reinforcement Kyle Jamieson is certainly a tempting option with his height and the success he has had against India in the past. The Black Caps skipper, however, continues to keep selection cards close to his chest.

“We have to have a look at the surface. Obviously with a squad of 15 and everybody’s fit which is a nice change and yeah look at the pitch and assess from there,” says Williamson.

Yes, there has been a typical after-festivities lull in Mumbai but come Wednesday a sea of blue would certainly head to Wankhede to cheer for the Men in Blue. Even Williamson is expecting a lot of support for the hosts and is looking forward to playing India in a big semi-final in front of a capacity crowd. There could well be very few Black T-shirts in the stands but it will not be something unusual for the Kiwis.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re expecting a fairly blue crowd that will be supporting their team and No doubt they’ll be very passionate about that. But at the same time, I think as a player, when you get the opportunity to play in front of those sorts of crowds as well, it is special.

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“We remember over the years, a number of different crowds that we’ve had that haven’t always been your own fans, in fact often they’re not, we have got a small country that doesn’t always fill out the stadiums but you still appreciate the atmosphere that it brings and I’m sure that there’ll be a good one tomorrow and yeah guys have all different levels of experience with those things but to me it’s about embracing it. Not many people get that opportunity, cricket in India, playing against India in a World Cup semi-final is special and something to appreciate and look forward to,” says Williamson.

It has been a far from ideal campaign for New Zealand but they have that knack of switching to beast mode in the knockouts. A mode India have seen from close distance in the past and a mode they would hope to have answers for in the high-octane clash tomorrow.