Skipper Mitchell Santner has urged the New Zealand public to show them their support, be it even from miles away from Ahmedabad, ahead of their T20 World Cup final against hosts India on Sunday, March 8.
The Kiwis are set to compete in only their second T20 World Cup final as they look to win their first 20-over title. Santner understands that the massive crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium would be cheering for India. The all-rounder, however, knows that they have the support from Oceania to keep them motivated to bring the trophy home.
In a post on the Black Caps’ official Instagram account, Santner sent out a statement, rallying his people to show their backing despite the game starting past midnight in New Zealand.
"KIA ORA AOTEAROA BLACKCAPS captain Mitch Santner here. Sorry to disturb you on a Sunday. Now, I’m not really one for big speeches or rallying cries. But I did want to remind you all about our ICC T20 World Cup Final against India in Ahmedabad on Monday morning (2.30am NZT),” said Santner via the Black Caps’ social platforms.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by BLACKCAPS (@blackcapsnz)
"It’s fair to say we’re a bit outnumbered over here – 1.4 billion team India fans and all that. And I’m pretty sure most of the 130,000 seat Narendra Modi Stadium will be cheering for them too. But that’s all good – because we know back home you’ll have our backs," the skipper said.
"Although you’re not with us – we see the photos, the posts, we hear the stories, and we know about the late nights & early starts. We feel your aroha. We get it – the final is super early Monday morning. But set your alarm and get around us one more time. And if you're a bit late to work or school, please pass on my message to your boss or teachers. Cheers Aotearoa – we’ll be home soon – hopefully with some extra luggage," Santner added.
India go into the final with one eye on history. Should they come out on top, they will become the first team to retain the T20 World Cup, be the first three-time winners, and also become the first nation to win the 20-title on home soil.
For New Zealand, however, they have a chance of winning an ICC honour in all three formats of the game having previously won the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 2000 and the World Test Championship in 2021.
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