NEW DELHI: Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, former England captain Michael Vaughan recently said: “Pound for pound, they (New Zealand) might be the best team.”Vaughan is right.Since the inception of the ODI World Cup in 1975, New Zealand have reached the semi-finals nine times and finished as runners-up twice. In the T20 format, the BlackCaps have reached the semi-finals five times and will play their second final on Sunday.
T20 World Cup: Mitchell Santner press conference ahead of IND vs NZ
Despite this consistent record, they continue to be referred to as “dark horses”.New Zealand is perhaps the most promoted team in world cricket. They are described as “dark horses” or a side that “punches above its weight” in almost every tournament preview.
Will dark horses persevere?
New Zealand won the ICC Knockout Trophy, a tournament later renamed the Champions Trophy, in 2000. 21 years later, they defeated India again, this time in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) in Southampton. They also reached back-to-back ODI World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019, finishing as runners-up despite not losing to England in either regular play or Super Over. They were also defeated in the finals of the 2009 Champions Trophy and the 2021 T20 World Cup, both times by Australia.
We are a very proud sporting nation. It is not only in cricket that we are doing well for a small country. Whether it’s the Olympics, yachting, rugby or even football, we’re pretty good at it. And we are very proud of our sportsmanship
Lockie Ferguson | Fast bowler from New Zealand
Cricket is not the number one sport in the island nation. Not even the second most popular. They only have six first-class teams, yet New Zealand consistently produce competitive international teams.“I think it’s the New Zealand way. There’s a built-in confidence, even if it’s not always expressed out loud. But we believe in our abilities,” Lockie Ferguson told TimesofIndia.com during ILT20.“We are a very proud sporting nation. It’s not just cricket that we do well for a small country. Whether it’s the Olympics, yachting, rugby or even football, we’re doing quite well now. And we’re very proud of our sporting ability,” Ferguson added.
Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner of New Zealand during the India vs Sri Lanka 2026 Men’s World T20 match in New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 7, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Looking above their weight?
It is not the first time in recent years that New Zealand has been in the knockout stages of a global tournament. Between them and the trophy are the hosts, India.At the start of the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup, New Zealand weren’t even in most people’s top four, let alone title chasers. They have now beaten tournament favorites South Africa in the semi-finals and will face defending champions India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift a trophy for once
Mitchell Santner | New Zealand captain
Interestingly, India have never beaten New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. New Zealand lead this match 3-0.India know the sting in New Zealand’s tail all too well, having suffered defeats against them in several major world tournaments, including two finals won by New Zealand and the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup in Manchester. Mitchell Santner made it clear in the pre-match press conference that they wouldn’t mind breaking a billion hearts.“Everybody knows we’re probably not the favourites. But we don’t mind,” he said.“I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.New Zealand wastes no time complaining about conditions or making excuses. She faces every challenge with quiet confidence and unwavering focus. They go about their business without fuss. Not much razzmatazz about them. That’s the New Zealand way. It always was.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner during training ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final cricket match between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
“It’s easy to say it’s just another game, but everybody knows it probably isn’t,” Santner said.“But the way you go about it has to be the same. Whether it’s your preparation or how it looks the day before the game. It’s always a few moments that matter.”“Especially in T20 cricket where you can squeeze the opposition or take an advantage in those moments. I think we saw that last night.”“A lot of times it’s about putting yourself on the field at some stage. If you can be consistent in the way you approach the game and also recognize a few moments where you might need to be a bit more ruthless, that’s important.”“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
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Do you believe that New Zealand is really the ‘dark horse’ in global cricket tournaments?
“You’re giving yourself a final and you’re coming up against another team who are also playing very good cricket. So it’s never that easy.”
New Zealand players during a training session ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final cricket match between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
New Zealand does not punch above its weight. This is their weight. Time for pundits and fans alike to acknowledge that it has passed, but even if they lose this, it will only strengthen their credentials going forward.
