New Zealand ready to ‘break a few hearts’ in T20 World Cup final

Dubai: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner says his team wouldn’t mind playing the role of the spoilers by defeating India in the T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, where over 100,000 fans are expected to pack the stands.

“I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a challenge. Everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites, but I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts and lifting the trophy for once.”

New Zealand made it to the final in dominant fashion, crushing South Africa by nine wickets, while India secured a tense seven-run victory over England.

Santner acknowledged that T20 cricket is highly unpredictable, meaning there are no clear favourites.

“T20 cricket can be fickle,” he said. “We saw South Africa playing excellent cricket all tournament, only to have a hiccup against us and get knocked out. So for us, we’ll take confidence from that. If we stick to our game plan, we can definitely upset another big team.”

Top-ranked India are aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and lift the trophy on home soil, as well as claim their third title. Santner believes the immense pressure of such expectations could be a factor.

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“I think that comes with a lot of added pressure,” he said. “If we can put that pressure on them, we’ll see how it goes.”

All-rounder Glenn Phillips also shared his excitement, stressing the team’s focus and eagerness to enjoy the final. “For us, it’s about going out there and enjoying the moment,” Phillips said. “We have a great time as a group, do our best for our country, and yes, the packed crowd is fantastic. Whether they’re supporting us or supporting India, it’s great for cricket.”