Champions Trophy: Santner states less spin benefits NZ batters ahead of South Africa showdown

Lahore, March 4 (NationPress) Following the collapse of New Zealand's batting lineup against a strong Indian spin attack in their last encounter, captain Mitchell Santner has recognized the challenges his team encountered. Nonetheless, he remains confident that the conditions at the Gaddafi Stadium for their match against South Africa will not favor spinners as much as the slower track in Dubai did.

The second semifinal of the 2025 Champions Trophy is set to be an exciting matchup, with both teams aiming for their first win in an ICC limited-overs tournament. The Proteas head into the match with two victories and one no result, while New Zealand finished as the runner-up in Group A, securing solid wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

With talented spinners like Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi ready to challenge the Kiwi batters, Santner addressed the hurdles his squad faces.

“I believe they are well-rounded, just like our team. They’ve been opting for four seamers lately, and I think Lahore will likely suit that approach, likely not spinning as much as Dubai. We've seen Keshav Maharaj perform exceptionally for a long time, and Shamsi is present, along with Markram who can be effective with the ball.

“They are definitely well-balanced. I don't anticipate us getting as much spin as we did in Dubai. Hence, I think that is advantageous for our batters if the ball doesn’t spin considerably,” Santner expressed during the pre-match press conference.

New Zealand has been among the most consistent teams in ICC tournaments over the last decade. After enduring consecutive heartbreaks in the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup finals against Australia and England, they were knocked out by India in the semifinals of the 2023 tournament.

Despite a remarkable record, the Kiwis have yet to take that final leap. When questioned about their strategy to overcome this challenge, Santner remarked that it’s the ‘billion-dollar question’. With two high-quality teams facing off, the outcome is uncertain.

“Billion-dollar question. Initially, at the start of the tournament, the primary objective was to reach the semifinals. We’ve prepared well and played commendable cricket. I don't believe we need to alter our approach. We recognize that South Africa is a formidable team.

“They consistently perform well in these tournaments. We are aware it will be challenging tomorrow, but we believe we have been performing well. The last game against India was on a significantly different surface. We possess experience here, and despite South Africa's strong lineup, it’s a knockout match. It will ultimately depend on who performs best on the day, and we hope that will be us tomorrow,” he concluded.