New Delhi: New Zealand suffered an unexpected blow ahead of their crucial T20 World Cup match against Canada with skipper Mitchell Santner being ruled out due to an illness caused by what stand-in captain Daryl Mitchell called a “danger burger”. With the Super 8 spots so close, New Zealand were forced into a reshuffle in Tuesday’s game as Canada opted to strike first.
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“Mitch had a not-so-good burger last night and he’s not feeling great today, so hopefully he’ll be back in shape within 24 hours,” Mitchell said, emphasizing the suddenness of the setback. All-rounder Cole McConchie has been chosen as an equal replacement, with Mitchell adding, “Cole also replaced Santner, so it’s a very similar role again. He’ll be delighted to get the opportunity.”
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The Black Caps have been forced to miss out again, with leading man Locke Ferguson returning home for the birth of his first child. His successor Kyle Jamieson was welcomed back into the eleven. “First of all, Rocky is excited to have his first child and he’ll be back soon, but Kyle Jamieson replaces him, so it’s a similar replacement, which is good,” Mitchell said.
Despite the distractions, the stakes remain clear. A third win in Group D will seal New Zealand’s place in the Super 8s, with their campaign remaining firmly on track after earlier wins over Afghanistan and the UAE and setbacks against South Africa. Mitchell expressed confidence in the team’s ability to adapt.
“It brings different challenges. A lot of us have played a lot of games here … so we know the conditions. We’ll quickly assess the surface and adapt as the game unfolds,” he said.
