New Zealand's Struggles in ICC Finals-Fighting Hard but Coming Up Short

Finishing as a semifinalist or finalist of top ICC tournaments is proof of the caliber of a team, but when a team repeatedly falls short at the last step, it turns into a psychological barrier. Not many teams are as aware of this challenge as New Zealand, who have continued to punch above their weight in international cricket while not being able to win white-ball ICC trophies. Captain Mitchell Santner, discussing the latest heartbreak of the team, underscored their resolve and tenacity but acknowledged that the coveted trophy is a burning priority.

A Familiar Tale-Nearing But Not Quite Close Enough

New Zealand's recent defeat in Dubai was yet another case of their failure to claim a white-ball ICC trophy. Since their victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000, the Kiwis have made five white-ball finals but were unable to hold the cup aloft. The most recent defeat was at the hands of India, a team they once tested in ICC knockouts. Recent meetings, such as the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal, saw India emerge victorious, reversing historical trends.

Despite such debacles, Santner was bullish, playing down the negatives. "If you're in a final, you're going head-to-head against the best," he explained after the match. "I believed we were playing some terrific cricket coming into this game, and we really did have a possibility today. Just unfortunately, a very good team beat us today."

The Pressure of Big Matches and the Missing Piece

New Zealand's record in ICC knockout competitions is a history of heartbreak and near-misses. The 2019 ODI World Cup final continues to be one of the most contentious conclusions in cricket history, where the Kiwis were robbed of their chance by the boundary count rule following a tied Super Over against England. The 2021 T20 World Cup final was yet another near-miss, as Australia prevented them from winning their first-ever T20 title. This trend of getting agonizingly near but not managing to cross the line is one that still continues to plague the team.

Santner recognized the importance but was unable to identify a particular cause for such losses. "We've played India quite a number of times in knockout games, and they're always close matches. We had some situations when we could have turned the game in our direction, but that's cricket. It is a matter of key moments, and we simply didn't win enough of them."

Tactical Decisions-Batting First in the Final

Unlike previous UAE tournaments when dew was an important factor, the weather conditions in this match were fairly even. This prompted Santner to choose to bat first after the toss, a change of their past strategy in the league match against India. That choice, though, did not pay off.

The Kiwis started strongly, scoring 69 runs in the powerplay. But the middle overs were a hindrance, with India's spin pair slowing the scoring rate. New Zealand had set their sights on a score of 275 plus, but their innings came to a halt, and they ended up on 250—perhaps 25 runs short of the fully competitive target. Michael Bracewell's late momentum resulted in a dignified total, but one could see the side had frittered away a better hand. 

The Lack of Matt Henry's Services

One of New Zealand's greatest disappointments going into the final was the absence of Matt Henry, who had been forced out with a shoulder injury suffered during the semifinal. Henry had been New Zealand's key performer in past matches against India, most significantly in the 2019 World Cup semifinal when he tore apart their top order.

Santner conceded that Henry's non-appearance was a severe setback. "He's a world-class bowler, who can achieve movement on any surface. We certainly missed that today. He was gutted to miss the final, and we wished to win it for him. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be."

The Rohit Sharma Factor-A Decisive Knock

One of the most defining features of the final was Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's batting performance. Although he had not posted a big score in the entire tournament, he picked the right moment to come up with a match-winning innings. His attacking approach in the powerplay left New Zealand reeling early, and the tone was set for India's chase to success.

If you had asked Rohit prior to the tournament what game he would have liked to score in, it would most likely have been the final," Santner said. "He plays aggressive cricket, and today he took the game away from us. India's powerplay was fantastic, and that really made a difference."

A Brief Fightback and Lessons for the Future

Despite the commanding Indian beginning, there came a moment of shock when New Zealand seemed on the verge of reversing the tide of the match. Following the first drinks break, India had lost three rapid wickets between 105-0 and 122-3. Santner and Bracewell were responsible for this turn in the match with tight spin bowling, putting India under pressure. Yet, the middle order stood firm for India and ultimately drove their team back home with authority.

Looking back at this period, Santner commented, "We felt that if we could disrupt Rohit's stand, we could strangle them in the middle overs. The new batters found the pitch tricky, and we wanted to capitalize on that. We did recover, but the damage had been done during the powerplay."

Moving Forward-Breaking the Jinx

New Zealand's repeated participation in ICC knockout rounds is an indicator of their tenacity and ability. But their failure to triumph in finals is still a nagging problem. Santner focused on continuing the efforts. "We take pride in never giving up, and we didn't today. We have been in these situations before, and we know that if we continue playing good cricket, our time will come."

For the moment, the white-ball ICC title wait goes on. But considering New Zealand's never-say-die attitude, it's only a matter of time before they finally break the jinx.