T20 World Cup: Schedule | Points table
Their early victories reflected a side comfortable in subcontinental conditions, thanks in part to their recent tour of India. But the defeat in South Africa exposed lingering problems, particularly in the batting department. New Zealand’s tendency to concede wickets in power-ups prevents them from forming dominant units. The lack of a big innings from key top-order batsman Rachin Ravindra added to their worries and left the middle order under pressure.
There were also bowling irregularities. Without the injured or unavailable spearhead Lockie Ferguson, the onus will be on bowlers like Kyle Jamieson and Ish Sodhi to bring breakthroughs. Senior batsman Daryl Mitchell acknowledged the shortcomings and admitted that the team failed to post a winning total and did not perform at their best with the ball.
Canada, on the other hand, is playing for pride after losing both matches. Their players talked about the challenges of preparing in vastly different conditions, but their spin attack showed promise. Still, New Zealand are expected to dominate given the gulf in experience and depth.
A win will see New Zealand progress to the Super Eights, but more importantly they will be hoping to rediscover their sharpness and re-establish themselves as serious title contenders.