Vettori confident about New Zealand facing must-wins

BARBADOS - New Zealand is suddenly facing the prospect of having to win four consecutive matches if they are to claim the Twenty20 cricket World Cup.

Having lost to South Africa in their first Super Eights match in Barbados yesterday means New Zealand must win their final two group matches - against Pakistan tomorrow morning and England on Tuesday - to be assured of a semi-finals spot.

Skipper Daniel Vettori believes his side has the quality to take on Pakistan at the Kensington Oval tomorrow.

“We weren’t as good as we normally are. It’s a very small ground and when you’ve got a destructive hitter like Albie Morkel, it’s a bad combination if you miss. I think if we reflect back on it, those last five overs put us in a bit of trouble, but we fought pretty hard,” the New Zealand Herald and stuff.co.nz quoted Vettori, as saying.

“If we could do anything again, it would be doing that better,” he added.

He expressed confidence about New Zealand turning things around for the two “must-win” Super Eights games.

“We’re hoping for a quick turnaround from some of the guy’s performances and the continuation of some guys who bowled really well. It’s hard to know exactly what turns it around but I think guys adapt pretty quickly and hopefully with one game out here we’ll be better for it in the next game against Pakistan,” Vettori said. (ANI)