New Zealand raring to go for Champions Trophy semi after ‘tough travel’

LAHORE: Skipper Mitchell Santner said New Zealand have endured some “tough travel” but insisted they are raring to go for their Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa on Wednesday in Lahore.

New Zealand convincingly won their first two games of the ODI tournament in Pakistan, then lost to India in Dubai on Sunday, and have now flown back to Pakistan again for the encounter at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

“It was actually more of a daytime sleep,” Santner said on Tuesday on the eve of the semi-final.

“I think it was a tough travel but it’s nice to get it done, get here and kind of a reset and get ready for today (training) and tomorrow’s game.”

The Champions Trophy is played on a hybrid model after India refused to travel to Pakistan over political tensions, instead playing all their matches and their semi-final in Dubai.

All the other teams in Group A – Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh – had to travel to Dubai to play India, who promptly won all three matches.

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India faced Australia in the other semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday.

Critics have condemned the tournament’s unusual arrangement as giving India an unfair advantage.

South Africa also travelled to Dubai not knowing who they would face in the semi-finals, but instead returned to Pakistan less than 24 hours later without playing a game.

Santner said scheduling in international cricket “is an issue just all around”.

“I think when you do have time to rest and recover it’s very important,” said the skipper, whose side beat hosts Pakistan and then Bangladesh in the group phase.

New Zealand were well beaten by India by 44 runs but had already reached the semi-finals by then.

“One-day cricket can be very exhausting on the body, so for us it’s making sure that the bowlers are ready,” Santner said.

“I think what we can change is to have rest and a good reset.”

Santner added: “The boys have recovered well after the travel and we are good to go.”

South Africa reached the semi-finals with big victories in the group phase over England and Champions Trophy debutants Afghanistan.

“I think like us they have all aspects covered,” said Santner.

“They have four good seamers and Lahore would probably not be spinning as much as Dubai.

“We have seen (spinner Keshav) Maharaj for a long time, they have (spinner Tabraiz) Shamsi and (all-rounder Aiden) Markram can be tidy with the ball. So I think they are a well balanced side.”