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All eyes will be on the Black Caps early tomorrow morning, as the Kiwi side will be gearing up for the T20 World Cup final.
New Zealand meet hosts and defending champions India in Ahmedabad, having never lifted a world cup trophy.
Black Caps player Rachin Ravindra joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaking of cricket the black haps are on the brink of more history as they prepare to face India in the final of the
ICC means T-20 World Cup tomorrow morning 2.30 New Zealand time one of the key figures in New Zealand run to the final or round a
Ruch and Ravindra
Ruch and Ravindra joins us now out of India Ruch and thanks for your time a World Cup final
What every young cricketer dreams about I'm sure how you feeling in the lead up to such a massive occasion?
Yeah, for sure. Obviously it's something your dream as a kid and to see yourself play on this
Well, I have the opportunity to put on the stages is pretty special and playing India in their home conditions in front of you know
120 130,000 people in the stadium is it's gonna be truly incredible
Obviously that the nerves and stuff are always there and the lead up for training and stuff, but that's it a big good fun
The semifinal win over South Africa by nine wickets utterly
Empathic what did that performance do for the confidence of the team heading into the final?
Yeah, I think it's massive. I mean when you're in tournament cricket you sort of get on a roll and end up playing
You know a bit of good cricket and each game you take it a little bit of confidence
I think something that in fact in fact like the way Siphon Fin chased that down was incredible
And I think leave us a good said for the final. I just want to take you back to the batting innings
You came in to join Fin Allen at 117 for one you're chasing one's 70
You get through to 137 for one after 10 overs
You take a single of the third ball of the 11th over that takes New Zealand to 138 for one
Fin Allen then goes four six one to keep the strike four four six six four
You've won by nine wickets with seven overs to spare
He's gone from 58 to 100 not out in 11 balls
What was it like watching that innings from the other end?
It's honestly unbelievable
I think you look at our two openers and you see the way they go about it for me
It's honestly unfathomable sometimes the power and the and the hitting
It's it's almost a different game, you know, and it's it's awesome to have that power at the top of the order
I mean when I walked out of bow sort of had an inkling for him was gonna get there because it was just the
Rhythm and timing everything he was showing was was incredible. Yeah, it was outstanding
I spoke to Fin Allen last week on the radio actually. He was frustrated
He said by getting 20s and 30s and not going on with him. Did you sense a real desire in Fin Allen to convert a big one and in such a big game?
I don't know
It's it's always an interesting one and batting and finally, you know, it's like it's sort of the harder you try to
Push on after starts to worst against because all of a sudden you know
Sort of milk a little bit or not put the team first and I think
That's Fin's we know one of the biggest strengths. He sort of West takes a game on in his own way
and
Sometimes it comes off and like an amazing not at 100 the other day and but even if he gets 20 or 30 gets us off to an amazing start
So either way, you know, whatever he's doing. It's contributing to our team
Your bowling role, Ruchin at this tournament. It's been fascinating to watch you bowl 11 wickets a terrific economy right
What's been the key to finding success with the ball in these conditions?
I guess just trying to use use my skill and ability. I think obviously it's it's amazing to have
Santana next to me and being able to chat to him about a few things but
Just trying to spin the ball hard and and keep it, you know, the life of hard for the batters
I guess for me being a bestman primarily. It's it's it's quite handy because I get to think like about it
You know what I mean? So I can hopefully be a bit defensive when I feel like they're coming or keeping out of the arc and stuff
So just trying to stay one step ahead of the game
Obviously the wickets and Sri Lanka are quite conducive for spin bowling
But you know, you get back over to here to India and it's certainly a bit flatter
So it's always always an adaption piece in our game. I've seen you've spoken about varying your pace
Your seam angle lines lengths that sort of thing to make things difficult for
Opposition batters
You only bowling 24 deliveries max. Aren't you in any one game? How much planning actually goes into each spell in a t-20 game?
Yeah, it's it's always interesting because um
I probably plan a bit more with the bat that the ball are sort of not necessarily just rock up
But it's a bit more natural craft for me um in terms of my preparation
I guess we talk a lot as a spin group though and we talk about each batter and what lines we can bolt to them and how to shut them down and fields etc
So that that goes quite um that makes a difference in terms of what we plan for
um and I mean a lot of the time it's instinct right you get a feeling
You want to bowl this ball more for the knot you trust your gut and and hopefully execute um because
It can get quite complicated out there
So India's batting line up stacked with power and a lot of left handers as well
How tricky a challenge does that present for you as a left arm spinner?
Yeah, I'm sure I mean the matchups not really quite there left arm spin to left handers and in today's t-20 game
It's uh you're always going to be a little bit under the puck because they're going to want to take you down
But I think that's that's quite a exciting opportunity you know you potentially a chance for a wicket
And you know you feel like you're in the game and obviously it's you know you can get it for a few bombs
But that's that's part of the game um
But I think for for us it's just
Understanding who you're bowling to what your role is at that time. Obviously it's nice
I'm sitting at other end because I'm scored too much off him
So they always try to take me take me down a little bit um
But yeah other matchup game would be huge and the cool thing is we've got spin that that's
Spinsible both ways and in terms of couple of spinners and couple left-dumps off you so
We've got bassist covered which is quite nice indeed. So a final in India against India at this
Massive stadium a huge home crowd lot of noise
How do you block that outruch and then and focus on the job at hand when you're out there in the middle?
Yeah, it's always interesting one. I guess the the whole thing about blocking it like it's gonna be there
I think first of all accepting um almost the pressure and and what it's gonna feel like because
You know you're going up against a billion plus people the who who are obviously going to be behind India
Um and the noise at at that ground the meta-bad is it's crazy. So
um
For us it's just keeping us simple
I think and and being as present as possible that and focusing on the next play you know the next ball
Whatever is that whatever that importance is because in finals it's so easy to get here to yourself
It's so easy to look at the winning and losing of it
But there's a reason why we got there and I think that's by you know playing each moment
So and I think there's no real way to completely block out the crowd
I mean they're always going to be there, but when I bet I don't really hear it. So um hopefully
I can bet for some time
So the black ops remain close in global tournaments a number of times in recent years
What would it mean to this group to finally win a world cap?
Yeah
It's been awesome, you know the the black ops team over the last you know 10 or so years has been amazing
We've we've made a lot of world events and we've had our you know fissure of heartbreak and in the time being as well. So
Look it's obviously if we go opportunity it would be a fantastic
But either way I'm proud of the group and and how we've evolved and developed as a t20 team
Um and super proud of the results and hopefully we're inspiring everyone back home because that's
Really what's important? Yeah, well you're certainly doing that
So just to finish when the anthems are all done and you look around that stadium before the first ball
Whether you're out there in the field or you're sitting there with your pads on watching
Fin Allen and Tim Cyford get ready to face the first ball
What do you want the mindset of the black ops to be in that moment?
I guess come um
The thing is with with these games is always a lot of distractions a lot of chaos around right
So for you to become and and chill and understand what the
We task at hand is I think they'll go a long way, but also
um playing our way, but also not you know, fearing the big moments and and taking them on
Because that's a t20 cricket, you know, it's
If you take a step back here you find out, you know, you're one or two balls of that you end up losing the game
It's such fine margin. So um, let's take the game on and do it in that way
Well, I can tell you ruchin. This one surprised you
Many thousands of people are sitting there alarms for just before two thirty tomorrow morning to get up and watch you take on India in this
t20 final very exciting times back here very exciting for you as well
Congrats on your part in getting New Zealand to the final all the best and thanks as always for the chat
First rest just part and appreciate it
Now appreciate you joining us ruchin. Thanks indeed ruchin
Revindra there ahead of the t20 World Cup final
You look at his numbers in this t20 World Cup 11 wickets
And an average of just 10.64 and an economy of 6.88 look anything under seven runs and over in t20 cricket
We know how good that is
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