Kane tells blundering Black Caps to up their game
LONDON: New Zealand have been told to raise their game or face series defeat to India.
That was the warning issued by Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson who led the tourists to a six-wicket defeat against the hosts in Pune on Wednesday.
Half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik got India past the 231 total they needed for the loss of only four wickets, with 24 balls to spare, to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1.
And Williamson has told his team they need to improve before the crunch final clash on Sunday.
“It was one of those surfaces that if you could get a score on the board, and then squeeze, then you can make life difficult, but 230 wasn’t enough. We weren’t good enough at the top,” he told reporters.
“Credit to India with the way they bowled. Their opening spell put us under a lot of pressure. However, lot of positives from our middle order to take us to that total. Need to play a lot better to beat these guys.”
While Williamson looked back at Wednesday’s match with woe his opposite number, Virat Kohl, was able to look at the grit and determination of his side and look positively toward the showdown in Kanpur.
“We spoke about needing to bounce back, and we’ve done that,” said a delighted Kohli who hailed Dhawan and Karthik.
“Shikhar has been hitting the ball really well and he’s getting good runs at the top. Dinesh as well, getting crucial runs for himself and for the team,” the skipper added.
Not only that but he backed his new-ball attack of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuveshwar Kumar to bowl India to victory on Sunday.
The pair took five wickets between them in Pune and Kohl said: “Bowlers were really clinical today and fielders as well. Both those guys (Kumar and Bumrah) are coming along nicely. They know they are going to start more often than not.
“Today, with the wicket being slow, it was heartening to see them getting wickets in conventional ways.”