New Zealand’s coach Gary Stead expressed confidence in their performance ahead of the Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa in Lahore. He emphasized their positive experiences from earlier matches in the tri-series and highlighted the effectiveness of their pace attack. Stead also acknowledged that South Africa’s lineup will differ from their previous encounter, indicating a challenging match ahead.
New Zealand’s head coach, Gary Stead, expressed optimism as the team returns to Lahore for the Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa, noting their prior successful performances during the Pakistan tri-series. He remarked, “We are lucky. We’ve had some experience playing here in the tri-series before the tournament actually kicked off,” highlighting the positive emotions stemming from their experiences in the region.
Despite suffering a loss to India on a spin-friendly pitch in Dubai, Stead praised the effectiveness of New Zealand’s pace attack, which includes Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Will O’Rourke, suggesting that they will maintain this trio for the upcoming match. He emphasized the importance of taking wickets in the early and middle overs to curb South Africa’s scoring potential.
Stead acknowledged that South Africa will present a different challenge than during the tri-series, mentioning the possible inclusion of spinner Tabraiz Shamsi in their lineup. “They’re a very, very good side and we’re going to have to play right near our best to beat them,” he stated, indicating the high stakes of the semi-final match.
In summary, New Zealand enters the semi-final against South Africa in Lahore with confidence generated from their previous successes during the Pakistan tri-series. Coach Gary Stead emphasizes that their pace attack will play a crucial role in limiting South Africa’s performance, and he acknowledges the need for optimal gameplay to secure a victory. The match is poised to be highly competitive, given the contrasting lineups of both teams.
Original Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
