14 November - Mumbai - New Zealand Captain Kane Williamson pre-match press conference
[Reporter:]
[inaudible]
[Kane Williamson:]
Great question. We know it's going to be a really tough challenge. They're a side that's been playing extremely well, but we also know come finals time, everything sort of starts again and it's all about the day. So, for us as a team, it's very much the focus on our cricket again. We've played some good cricket throughout. We've had a couple of narrow losses and a few wins along the way which have put us in this position we're in. So, we're excited about the challenge ahead.
[Reporter:]
What's your take on Surya Kumar Yadav, his recent form whenever he has played for Mumbai Indians and at Wankhede. So, what's your take on Suryakumar Yadav?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, an exceptional player and a great stroke maker. Yeah, clearly coming in to play a role in that sort of middle, lower order for India and has all the shots and knows the venue well so - a good player and they've got good players throughout so yeah for us the focus is on our cricket.
[Reporter:]
The Wankhede wicket has always got a bit of pace and bounce in it. You've got a two-meter Kyle Jameison waiting in the wings. He must be in the mix as far as team selection is concerned for tomorrow?
[Kane Williamson:]
We have to have a look at the surface. Obviously with a squad of 15 and everybody's fit which is a nice change and yeah look at the pitch and assess from there.
[Reporter:]
Historically New Zealanders were always considered underdog especially in the big games but that seems to have changed over the last few years and this game against India is being considered a bit tricky for Indians.
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I think every game in this tournament is a tricky one. I think as we've seen throughout, any team can beat anybody on the day, and whether that's obviously the quality in both sides, but also the changing conditions and how that has an impact. So yeah, I mean, for us, it's great to have got to the final stages and then take a fresh approach because it does start again.
Yeah, I mean the underdog thing - from what you guys write I don't think it has changed too much, but that's fine you know and India have been exceptional. One of the, if not the best team going around and playing cricket that matches that, but we know as well on our day when we play our best cricket, it certainly gives us the best chance and come finals time anything can happen.
[Reporter:]
Several months and several injuries ago it seemed like you're not going to play in this World Cup and here you are leading the team into yet another semi-final, fifth consecutive one. Personally, how this has been for you, near your fourth consecutive ICC World event final as well.
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, yeah, an interesting journey for sure, from sort of it not being a chance to getting close and it becoming a reality and something to target and certainly feeling really grateful to be here and then to get back and then break my thumb. It's not funny. No, it was quite frustrating and testing but still feeling that it hadn't ruled me out so I still was grateful for that and it's nice to be fitter than perhaps I was yesterday and be sitting here.
So personally, it's great to be here and it's nice to be a part of this tournament. These tournaments are special and world events in India certainly add to that.
[Reporter:]
As an opposition captain how do you look at the lack of six bowler in the bowling attack especially on a high-scoring venue like this?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah I mean look every team has a slightly different balance that they rely on and naturally with the injury to Hardik – it meant that their balance changed a little bit but certainly didn't change the outcome of what they were doing so they adjusted nicely and you know our team tends to, or has done in the past anyway, played with a slightly different balance and I think when you get into tournaments as well it's guys being nice and familiar with the roles that they have, whether that's with the ball or with the bat and it all goes quite quickly so you're trying to make sure you build on those performances as a team. And I've done it better than anybody so far in this competition. And as a side, I think we've done some good stuff too. So yeah, I mean, we're just looking forward to tomorrow, and it's going to be a great occasion.
[Reporter:]
Do you see it as a mother of all battles, especially from Dharamshala to here? What are the things you have learned?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I mean that was a great game as well when we played India in pool play. I think when you get to finals, things sort of start again. It's on the day and I think prior to that, you're really focusing on two, or whatever it is, six weeks perhaps of good cricket to hold you in good stead at the back end of round robin play. Because it's very difficult I think for nine games to kind of micromanage that process. It's about how you want to express yourself as a team day in day out and assess the conditions in front of you and the different opposition that you keep facing. So yeah, for us it's looking to do something similar and it's going into this game with fresh eyes and looking to play what's in front of us and the conditions will be different again and like I say that's a big part of the challenge not only the opposition but the change in venue as well.
[Reporter:]
And as a batsman yourself could you just say something about Rachin Ravindra's form at this tournament and what that's been like to witness from close quarters.
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, quite incredible really, burst onto the scene and in a big way in a role that perhaps wasn't sort of natural maybe within our environment, he did a bit of it domestically, but to do what he's done so far in this tournament with his feet firmly on the ground has been really, really special, and as we've all seen, he's an incredibly special and talented player and a fantastic individual in the environment. It's not just the volume of runs that he's achieved so far but how he's been scoring them and how it's been geared towards trying to move the team forward. Some fantastic contributions so far and at such a young age and I'm sure we'll see plenty more of it to come.
[Reporter:]
Your former teammate Ross Taylor said yesterday that it's impossible to not think of what happened four years earlier at the same stage in the World Cup, in the semi-final against India. So, do you think that you can repeat that tomorrow, something similar can happen?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I mean I think the game will be a little bit different. It might be played over one day rather than two, looking at the weather, but at the same time teams work hard to get to this stage, they have to play a lot of good cricket within the format or the structure of the tournament to get here over such a long period of time. It's a great occasion and it's on the day. Both teams are looking to play their best cricket and compete in the best way that they can.
[Reporter:]
There has been a lot of talk about the future of one day cricket and the kind of reactions that one day cricket is getting now that T20 is here to stay and of course WTC also has given context and life fresh life to Test cricket. So, what are your thoughts and other players thoughts on looking at the response that this tournament has got, what is the future of one day cricket?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, has it been a good response or a bad one?
I'm not exactly aware, but I know that playing in the tournament and being involved in world events are always special from a player's perspective and continuing to provide that context in the sport, whatever the format, I think is really important. It is hard to predict the future, but I think we see that when we do have world events, countries against countries, regardless of the format, there is something quite special about that. Yeah, there will be a balance to strike with the T20 format, which naturally is becoming, I guess, more and more in the calendar. But that's a good thing too, it sort of speaks to what people want to watch and I think ultimately, it's a positive thing for our game but it's just trying to continue to find that balance
[Reporter:]
The official capacity of the stadium is 33,108. There's going to be 33 of them in blue and screaming loudly tomorrow. 33,000.
[Kane Williamson:]
There'll be more than that.
[Reporter:]
33,000, I mean. I've never seen you flustered. I know you're cool, calm, collected wherever you go, but how do you ensure your team holds their nerves on the biggest occasion?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I mean, we're expecting a fairly blue crowd that will be supporting their team and No doubt they'll be very passionate about that. But at the same time, I think as a player, when you get the opportunity to play in front of those sorts of crowds as well, it is special. We remember over the years, a number of different crowds that we've had that haven't always been your own fans, in fact often they're not, we have got a small country that doesn't always fill out the stadiums but you still appreciate the atmosphere that it brings and I'm sure that there'll be a good one tomorrow and yeah guys have all different levels of experience with those things but to me it's about embracing it. Not many people get that opportunity, cricket in India, playing against India in a World Cup semi-final is special and something to appreciate and look forward to.
