Sodhi confident rookies can lift for World Cup
Ish Sodhi doesn’t believe a meek T20 showing against Pakistan is a reflection of the inexperienced Black Caps’ talent levels.
New Zealand’s second-string side were thumped by seven wickets in the second match of the five-game series yesterday.
This was always going to be a challenging series for a weakened Black Caps outfit, devoid of their Indian Premier League contingent and several others on managed rest or injured.
After a two ball washout in match one, it was all Pakistan in Rawalpindi. The Black Caps were rolled for a paltry 90 with no-one able to post 20 and the largest partnership a measly 17 runs.
Pakistan made easy work of the chase, winning with 47 balls to spare. Mohammad Rizwan, who starred in the January T20 series in New Zealand, struck an unbeaten 45.
This is the last T20 series for New Zealand before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies-United States in June and most of these players won’t feature at the tournament for the Black Caps.
New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad will be unveiled in Auckland next Monday with Sodhi, Tim Seifert, and Mark Chapman the only names set to feature from this XI, along with possibly Michael Bracewell,
At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: New Zealand 90 off 18.1 overs (Mark Chapman 19, Cole McConchie 15; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-13 off 3.1, Mohammad Amir 2-13 off 3) lost to Pakistan 92-3 off 12.1 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 45 not out off 34; Ben Lister 1-10 off 2, Ish Sodhi 1-18 off 3) by 7 wickets.
Jimmy Neesham, and Ben Sears.
Pakistan boasted 494 T20I caps compared to the Black Caps’ 379 before this match. Sodhi, the only Black Cap in the XI with 100 or more T20I caps, believed their greenhorns would only be better for a tour against a near full-strength Pakistan in home conditions.
“The young guys are super talented. If you see them in our domestic sides they’re international quality players. T20 cricket, man, it just happens that way sometimes...
“Some of these guys are super talented. I have complete faith in these guys, results aside, that they are very good players. Hopefully at some stage during this series we can show that.”
New Zealand did not have long to wallow in self-pity with the third match played early this morning.
It was a batting effort to forget yesterday after being sent in with Seifert going in the third over and wickets falling too regularly.
They slumped to 50-5 when Neesham went softly, misjudging one to short midwicket, and it never got any better. Their total of 90 was New Zealand’s second lowest against Pakistan and their eighth lowest in history.
The batters had few answers to Pakistan’s legspinners with Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan combining for 4-30 from seven overs. Quick Shaheen Afridi was brilliant with 3-13, while Mohammad Amir, playing his first T20I series since 2020 after stepping out of international retirement, took 2-13.
“There’s some very talented young boys in this team. They work really hard. Unfortunately we didn’t get over the line, but
I’m sure in the next three games you’ll see some glimpses of some high quality players,” Sodhi said.
“They are the future of New Zealand cricket. It’s brilliant to see them being tested against the likes of Shaheen Shah [Afridi], Mohammad Amir, seeing him back — amazing.”
Opener Tim Robinson, who was so impressive for Wellington in this summer’s Super Smash, was playing just his second T20 international with Dean Foxcroft in his third.
Allrounder Cole McConchie and pace bowlers Sears, Jacob Duffy, and Ben Lister have all played 15 or fewer T20Is.
“Any experience for a lot of these young guys is a positive experience. Some of them haven’t played cricket in Asia at all. The chance to come here and be tested against the best [is invaluable].”