’NZ team to beat at WT20’

WELLINGTON — The Black Caps’ undefeated march to the World Twenty20 semifinals means the side that international pundits initially dismissed as “a lesser team” is now tournament favourite, New Zealand media said Wednesday. The New Zealanders seized their place in the final four with a 22-run win over Pakistan in Mohali Tuesday, adding to a string of scalps that already includes India and Australia. All three results would have been considered upsets at the start of the tournament, but NZ Herald cricket writer Andrew Alderson said the Black Caps were on track for their biggest-ever achievement on the world stage. “New Zealand’s three convincing victories mean they now loom as a favorite to take out its maiden World Cup or World T20 title,” he wrote. Former England captain Michael Vaughan ruffled Kiwi feathers last week when he criticized India for allowing “lesser teams into the game” during its tournament opener against the Black Caps. New Zealand fans also noted that Indian television commentators seemed incredulous that the underdog ground out a 47-run victory over the highly-fancied host in Nagpur. But the win over Pakistan means it will no longer be underestimated, with Fairfax New Zealand’s Duncan Johnstone labeling it “the team to beat at the Twenty20 World Cup.” “While we marveled at their bold spin-win over host India and delighted in seeing off old foe Australia, the nature of the victory over Pakistan has New Zealand looking like the real deal to win the World T20 title,” he said. Johnstone pointed to New Zealand’s potent young spin attack and its batting depth, underlined by Martin Guptill’s 80 off 48 balls in Mohali. He said the most impressive aspect of the win was the way the Black Caps refused to panic as Pakistan made a strong start to its run chase, instead setting about strangling the innings. “This is a team that looks increasingly good at defending totals as well as setting them,” he wrote. Radio Sport cricket commentator Bryan Waddle praised skipper Kane Williamson, who is new to the job after replacing Brendon McCullum but has shown a willingness to pick players on form and forged a winning unit. “They’ve done it in style against some of the best teams in the world ... it just highlights where this team is at the moment,” he said. New Zealand has only reached the semis of the World T20 once before, at the inaugural event in 2007. It was the form team going into the final of last year’s World Cup before collapsing against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. — AFP