It was yet another semi-final exit from a big ICC event for New Zealand, but skipper Kane Williamson refused to call it a “jinx”, saying that the loss to England in the World Twenty20 last-four stage
It was yet another semi-final exit from a big ICC event for New Zealand, but skipper Kane Williamson refused to call it a “jinx”, saying that the loss to England in the World Twenty20 last-four stage was just a case of going down to a better team on the given day.
New Zealand finished their group engagements unbeaten and were being seen as top contenders for the title after adapting superbly to the conditions.
However, the Kiwis were bowed out rather timidly, going down by seven wickets in the first semi-final against England.
“Not really (on whether New Zealand were battling a jinx),” said Williamson.
“Every cricket game you play, you look at it as an isolated event. You turn up to play your best cricket but sometimes the other team play better and you come second. That is what happened to us today. We played a semi-final not so long ago, we went alright there. We came first in that one (against South Africa in World Cup). That is just cricket,” he said.
Williamson said New Zealand, who lost six semi-finals before making the final of the ODI World Cup last year, will take back plenty of positives.
Williamson felt they were 25 runs short and the game changed in the last five overs of their innings where they lost five wickets for 32 runs to end at 153/8.
“I think we got off to a good start. We were probably 25 runs short and England bowled really well in the death period which made it really difficult for us.”
