"He is a big threat in the game": Gary Stead on this Team India player

Kiwis need to overcome punishing schedule, injury concern to Matt Henry and much more if they are to stand a chance against rampant India on Sunday

It has been a hectic few days for New Zealand, who have had to make multiple trips between Pakistan and Dubai for their Champions Trophy engagements. Last Sunday, they played their last league match against India and immediately rushed back to Lahore for the semifinal on Wednesday and were back in Dubai late Thursday evening.

Thus, it is quite understandable that they chose to rest and recuperate on Friday and have decided to have just one practice session on the eve of the final on 
Saturday.

New Zealand players after their victory over South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Despite all the talk about the tight schedule, their head coach, Gary Stead, did not make much of an issue. “There’s no doubt coming here after playing in Lahore and travelling the full day yesterday did take out a little bit. But we have a couple of days for recovery and planning, and training before the game. I guess we’re deep into the tournament now and sometimes it’s not always a lot of training that you need; it’s just getting your body and your mind right to compete in the final, and that will be our key focus over the next two days,” Stead said.

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Pacer Henry doubtful

However, there was some unsettling news for them ahead of Sunday’s final. Their pace bowling spearhead, Matt Henry, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the match against India here, is doubtful for the final. The paceman injured his shoulder after landing awkwardly while taking a crucial catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen off Mitchell Santner in the semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday. Despite the injury, Henry returned to bowl a couple of overs and even dismissed Kagiso Rabada to finish with figures of two for 43 in seven overs. 

Gary Stead

However, he did not bowl in the final five overs when David Miller went berserk and completed a consolatory century. “Matt landed on his shoulder and it was pretty uncomfortable. The positive thing from our perspective is he got back out there to bowl [a couple of overs more]. We’ve had some scans and stuff done on him and we’re going to give him every chance to be playing in this match,” Stead told the media in Dubai on Friday. 

“It’s still a bit unknown at this stage. He’s obviously pretty sore just from landing on his shoulder. Hopefully, he will be okay,” Stead added.

If Henry is not able to recover in time, it could weaken the Kiwis’ attack as they will have to fall back on Jacob Duffy, who has not played any game in the tournament and his only appearance was in a tri-series match in Pakistan where he managed just one wicket.

Thus, there is no doubt that if Henry fails to recover, it could make a big dent in their bowling arsenal against a team that have won all their matches convincingly at a venue that is now a virtual fortress for them, with their mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy posing a grave threat each time he has played. 

‘Varun is a big threat’

“There is no doubt that Varun is a class bowler; he showed his skills against us the last time. He is a big threat in the game and we will be putting our thinking caps on to nullify that and see how we can still score runs against him,” Stead, himself a former New Zealand leg-spinner, said. 

“We’ve come against a good side. I think we’ll be better for the run we had the other day [last Sunday] against them. We’ve had a bit of a roll on [since then]. Hopefully, it will continue [in the final as well],” the head coach added, exuding optimism.

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