Nagpur: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is aware of spin-friendly conditions in India but added Kiwis are a dangerous side when they take to the field, here at the Jamtha stadium against hosts India in the ICC World T20 on Tuesday.
“We certainly are expecting spin to pay a big part in this tournament. I suppose judging by the warm-up games in Mumbai (against England and Sri Lanka), they had a bit for the seamers and it swung a little bit. They were very good surfaces but from what cricket we have seen here in Nagpur, spin looks likely to play a big part. It's important that we adjust our game plans accordingly," Williamson told reporters here during the pre-match conference on Monday.
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The Kiwis will observe a minute silence after the anthems and will sport red armbands during the match to honour Blackcaps legend Martin Crowe, who passed away on March 3 following a brief battle with cancer.
Ranked No 1 in the tournament, India have never beaten New Zealand in five Twenty20 Internationals they’ve played. Williamson did not let statistics bother him and pointed out that the format is so ‘fickle’ that anything can happen on the day.
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“Every game of cricket is different. When both teams play tomorrow, it’s pretty much a clean slate. It’s important for us to be focussed on our plans and to execute as best as we can. We know that India are a very strong side in this competition but our boys are raring to go to play some exciting cricket in this competition,” he added.
