Head coach of the New Zealand team Michael Hesson addresses a press
conference at PCA stadium on the eve of match against Pakistan in Mohali
on Monday.
T20 World Cup 2016
Victories against favourites India and Australia notwithstanding, Hesson said they guarantee nothing.
New Zealand may be on a roll having notched up two big
wins in the ICC World Twenty20 but coach Mike Hesson on Monday sought to
downplay the hype surrounding his team, saying Tuesday’s match against
Pakistan will be a challenge because of their unpredictability and pace
attack.
Victories against favourites India and Australia notwithstanding, Hesson said they guarantee nothing.
“We
don’t think too far ahead of ourselves, we had a couple of good games
of cricket against some good sides, I think we have played pretty well,
but it doesn’t guarantee that you are going to play well next time. It’s
important we train well today and prepare as best we can,” Hesson said
addressing a press conference on the eve of the match.
Asked
if he thinks Pakistan is an unpredictable side, the coach replied in
affirmative. “Yes, they are unpredictable, but very skillful.”
He pointed out that the opponents have got a variety of left-arm pacers in their bowling attack.
“Their
bowling attack, in particular, is very challenging. I think Pakistan
certainly pose a different challenge with the pace they have and their
bowling attack is completely different than what we have faced in the
last couple of games.”
At the same time the coach
also said, “We are fortunate enough we played against them in recent
times. I think as a batting unit, they are relatively predictable the
way they play, and that certainly provides us with opportunities with
the ball.”
New Zealand has emerged as one of the
strong contenders to lift the coveted trophy on April 3. Another win and
they will be in the knockout stages of the mega-event. While the
spinners stood out in both games with a bagful of wickets on pitches
that aided turn, left-arm fast medium bowler Mitchell McClenaghan proved
to be Australia’s nemesis with a three-wicket burst in hilly
Dharamsala.
To another question, Hesson said they pick the squad to suit all conditions.
“I
think perhaps in the past, we have tried to play the New Zealand way in
the sub-continent, in terms of what has worked well for us. I think
during this tournament till date, it’s only two games, but I think we
have adapted a lot better than perhaps we have in the past. That said,
this pitch will create different challenges for us, first of all we will
have to read it properly,” he said.
On the dominance
of ball over bat in quite a few matches in this event, Hesson said, “I
think it has been quite two distinctive poles, I think further up north
the ball has spun and turned and created some different experiences than
normal, but obviously down Mumbai there has been a lot of runs as well,
so I think the contrast is good, but to a degree. You don’t want
anything that is too one-sided.”
About criteria of
selecting team in the sub-conditions, he said a lot of things go into it
but in the end “we just pick the team we think suits the conditions and
the opposition as well“.
About Indian pitches, he
said, “I think it is important to make your own assessment in what we
see and make your own judgement there.”
On the usage
of technology the Kiwi said, “I think it is always a combination, the
more information you are able to gather, you can use your cricket
knowledge to add to that.”
Meanwhile, he had a word
of praise for young spinner of Indian origin Ish Sodhi, saying he has
learnt the ropes over the last the years.
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