Ahmedabad, March 8
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter acknowledged India's status as favourites ahead of the T20 World Cup final to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, but insisted that the Black Caps are comfortable embracing the underdog tag and backing their collective strength to challenge for the title.
Speaking before the summit clash, Walter said New Zealand have grown accustomed to being labelled underdogs, especially when facing a cricketing powerhouse like India.
"I think we're so used to being called the underdogs, to be fair. We have less players, we have fewer financial resources, we've got less of most things to be fair. Probably everything when it comes to India," Walter said.
Despite the disparity in resources and player base, the coach emphasised that New Zealand's biggest strength lies in their team unity and collective approach throughout the tournament.
"But I suppose what we do have as a team is an understanding that it's a collective effort. The whole competition has been around different people contributing at different times to get the job done.
"Today will be no different. Anything can happen on these occasions, and I think that's what makes sports so awesome. Whilst India would have to be favourites, that doesn't necessarily hand them the trophy." he said.
The New Zealand coach also pointed to their strong performance against South Africa, where they beat the Aiden Markram-led team by 9 wickets, as proof that the team can rise to the occasion against top opposition.
"We showed against South Africa that if we put it all together, we can be the best in the world. Today will be no different. Just trying to put our best foot forward."
He also praised Mitchell Santner's captaincy skills and feels that he has good control over the team, and every player respects his skillset.
'He's such an understated guy, can be undervalued at times, I think. But his level-headedness, his calmness on the field, goes a very long way to the performance of the team. It's quite obvious that the team responds well to that type of leadership. They respect him because of his skill set, but also the way he handles the occasion and the situation. I think it's great to have someone who's so level-headed stepping into today's contest," he added.
- IANS
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