New Zealand won’t underestimate Pakistan, says Tim Southee

Bowler Tim Southee said New Zealand will not underestimate Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals despite the latter’s struggles to make it through the group phase.

Pakistan looked set to exit the competition until the Netherland pulled off a surprise 13-run win over South Africa on Sunday that meant victory over Bangladesh later in the day took Babar Azam and his team into the knockout rounds.

“When you get to the top four every side has a chance,” said Southee. “We’ve played a lot against Pakistan in recent times and we know they’re a dangerous side.

“Credit to them, they probably turned up thinking they didn’t have much of a chance but they put on another good performance and they’ll be a massive threat come the semi-final.”

A win over Pakistan in Sydney would take New Zealand to a final against either England or India in Melbourne but Southee said the Black Caps, who lost to Australia in last year’s final, were taking it one game at a time.

Also read: Brickbats for struggling Babar as Pakistan’s World Cup exit looms

“There’s still a lot of cricket to be played until we get to that stage,” he said.

“Pakistan are a quality side and we’re going to have to be on the top of our game to get past them on Wednesday.

“Semi-final cricket is exciting, it’s what you turn up for, to be here in these last couple of games. Hopefully we can continue the way that we’ve been playing and have another good performance in the semi.

“One of the consistencies of the side is the way we approach things is pretty much the same, no matter what game it is. That’s something to come back to and that’s something we’re very good at.”

New Zealand bank on experience

New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson is banking on experience to power New Zealand into a second successive Twenty20 World Cup final as they chase glory at last.

The Black Caps have long been a force in white-ball cricket but they have failed to turn that into world titles despite coming agonisingly close in recent years, including falling at the final hurdle to Australia last year.

It was their best showing in a T20 World Cup and followed hard on the heels of final defeats in the 50-over World Cup in both 2015 and 2019.

Williamson is confident the silverware drought can end this year.

“The team’s played some good cricket. As long as the team keeps looking to improve and build on some of these performances, hopefully we see ourselves in the next phase,” he said.

“Teams — you need a bat, you need a ball and the guys have been operating well adjusting to the surfaces really well, which I think is always very important in tournament cricket,” said the skipper.

“They’ve been outstanding… that’s the experience that’s in the camp.

“Every team you come up against has different strengths and you play at different grounds, and you’re having to really think on your feet and adjust your plans.

“But they’ve all done it for a long time.”

The Sydney wicket has been favourable to batsmen so far and with fine weather forecast for Wednesday it should prove to be so again.

Pakistan pride

Last-ball losses to India and Zimbabwe seemed to have ended Pakistan’s tournament before it got going.

But Azam’s men bounced back to topple the Netherlands and South Africa. Then against the odds they went through when the Proteas were stunned by the Dutch and Pakistan eased past Bangladesh.

It put the 2009 champions unexpectedly into the last four for a second straight tournament.

“Losing two games was not easy, but after that I think the team has responded well in doing whatever they can control,” said Shan Masood, the standout performer among some fragile batting.

Spinner Shadab Khan (10 wickets) and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi (8) have also been vital to Pakistan’s resurgence.

“Just playing for your country, putting that shirt on, I think for every individual in this camp, it means a lot,” said Masood.

“You play for pride, you play for yourself, you play for your country. We don’t need to look at other things.

“We just need to look at ourselves. We need to produce our best performances and we’re going to try and make up for whatever we didn’t achieve before. “