T20 World Cup 2024 | "Cat and mouse": Williamson labels modern-day T20 cricket

Kane Williamson after being dismissed for one v WI at Trinidad on Wednesday. Pics/Getty Images

NZ skipper Kane Williamson expresses dejection after his team's Super 8 chances are all but over following defeat to co-hosts WI; admits tactics to use pacers upfront backfired

Tarouba (Trinidad): Kane Williamson's ploy of using up the pacers upfront against the West Indies brought in disastrous results for his side, prompting the New Zealand captain to term the modern-day T20s a game of "cat and mouse."

The overs of frontline pacers Trent Boult (4-1-16-3) and Lockie Ferguson (4-0-27-2) were exhausted by the 18th over, and Williamson had to rely on medium pacer Daryl Mitchell and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner in the 18th and 19th over.

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Sherfane Rutherford during his 68 not out

However, Windies batter Sherfane Rutherford, who made an unbeaten 68 off 39 balls while coming at No. 6, faced all those 12 balls and biffed 37 runs, including four sixes.

It made a telling difference to the match's outcome too, as West Indies raced from 112-9 to 149-9 and then restricted the Kiwis to 136-9.
"I think whatever overs that they [Mitchell and Santner] did bowl were going to be targeted. So, that's the sort of the margins that you're always dealing with," Williamson said.

"I think, in T20 cricket nowadays with teams that are batting a lot deeper - you're always trying to sort of play that game of cat and mouse, I suppose," he rued.
Williamson summed up the helpless state of his side. "I think if we just look at the two matches to start off... no doubt disappointing. You come to a world event, you want to start well and to be honest, we need to be better in these conditions specifically.

New Zealand are now bottom of the Group ‘C' without a point from two matches. If Afghanistan, who have now four points, beat PNG on Friday then it will be curtains for the Kiwis.

Brief scores
WI 149-9 in 20 overs (S Rutherford 68'; T Boult 3-16, T Southee 2-21, L Ferguson 2-27) beat NZ 136-9 in 20 overs (G Phillips 40; A Joseph 4-19, G Motie 3-25) by 13 runs

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