Matt Henry picked up a shoulder injury during New Zealand’s Champions Trophy semifinal against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner provided an update on Henry ahead of the final against India in Dubai.
India and New Zealand will look to put their best foot forward as the Champions Trophy 2025 awaits its winner at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in a few hours. Two of the favourites, India and New Zealand, have deservingly made their way into the final, but only one team will be able to take home the silverware.
New Zealand are fretting over the injury concern of fast bowler Matt Henry, the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 scalps to his name. Henry sustained a shoulder injury during the Kiwis’ semifinal against South Africa while attempting to take a catch; however, he returned to bowl two overs later in the match.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner has provided an update on Henry ahead of the Champions Trophy final. “So we’ll be going across the road and training after this. And Matt’s going to have a bowl just to see how he is. Yeah, and then I guess we’ll make a call after that,” Santner said on Henry in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the final.
Santner knows that overcoming the Indian team in a final will be a challenge. “We know India are going to be a challenge. They’ve been playing some very good cricket. They understand these conditions pretty well,” he said.
“I think, obviously, having the run against India a few days ago will definitely help us out, understanding the conditions a little bit better. But it is a knockout game. And I guess whoever turns up on the day could take home the trophy,” he added.
New Zealand lost to India in the league stage earlier and finished as runners-up in Group A. “We came up against a good side and on a spinning wicket, especially in the second inning (of the last match). We know India are probably going to go in with the same team.
“But we know it might be a different surface. So, I think we have to be ready and be adaptable for what’s coming,” he said.
He also highlighted how they are looking to face Varun Chakravarthy, the Indian mystery spinner who took a five-wicket haul in the group stage face-off. “I think guys will be better for the run against Varun. He’s obviously a world-class bowler; we’ve seen it here and obviously in the IPL and that little bit of mystery. But it was the first time some of the guys have been facing him. I think they’ll learn from the other day.” The skipper said the Kiwis have viewed the videos of Chakravarthy’s bowling a bit more coming into the final.
“If the pitch plays a similar way, it’s going to be a challenge along with all three of their other spinners. We have looked at a little bit more footage.
“I think we obviously know what his threats are now. That 115K arm ball, that got me (in the last match) and that was a bit of a threat, but yeah, we know he’s going to be a challenge,” he added.
