‘Rises For The Big Occasion’: NZ Bank On Kane Williamson To Have ‘Big Day’ In Champions Trophy Final Vs IND
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New Zealand’s Head Coach, Gary Stead hopes that Kane Williamson can have a big day in the Champions Trophy 2025 final against India.
Kane Williamson will be key for New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 clash against India. (Image: AP)
New Zealand Head Coach Gary Stead will be banking on Kane Williamson’s experience to come through during the Kiwis’ ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against India, which is set to be held on Sunday.
The 34-year-old has been a mainstay in New Zealand’s 11 across all three formats and will be keen on helping the side lift their first ICC trophy in the limited-overs format since winning the Champions Trophy in 2000.
But the Kiwis will have to come up with solutions against India’s four-pronged spin-attack, which has the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, all of whom, on their day, can take on the best batters.
Stead, however, recognises this challenge and is up for the battle against some quality bowlers during the summit clash. The Kiwis had gone up against India but failed to find an answer to the spin unit during the group stage. But one shining light was Williamson, who kept New Zealand in the hunt for the most part.
“Sometimes a little bit of bravery to take, I mean, those options are on, so we’re certainly up for that, up for that challenge, and that’s what India will bring. We know that they’ve got four very capable spinners,” Stead shared on Friday.
Williamson’s numbers against spin will certainly put him as the key behind New Zealand’s success with the bat. But this time around, he will need some support from the other end with big partnerships to ensure that the Kiwis stay in the hunt. The veteran has amassed 2952 runs at an average of 49.98 in 130 innings, which shows his ability to keep the slower bowlers in check.
“He’s a guy that rises for the big occasion, and he’s done it many times for New Zealand in the past. Look, cricket’s a game runs aren’t guaranteed, but I know that Kane will be doing everything he can to prepare to score well, and he’s one of those unique individuals around the world that has that ability to adapt to different pitches,” he commented.
“He seems to be able to do that faster than many other players, so fingers crossed from our perspective that Kane has a big day,” said Stead.
For more in-depth coverage of the Champions Trophy, check out the latest Points Table to see where your favorite team stands. Stay updated on the tournament’s top performers with the Most Runs and Most Wickets leaderboards. Keep following for all the latest updates!
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