Kane Williamson (New Zealand Captain) post-match Press Conference - 7th June 2024
[Reporter:]
How do you describe what happened there tonight, especially a bit of uncharacteristic in the field for New Zealand for a start?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I think for a start Afghanistan were outstanding. To execute a performance like that on a tricky surface, I know they were sort of 55-60 at 10 overs but 10 wickets in hand meant they had every opportunity to get a very good score. Our fielding didn't help our cause without a doubt. That would be the most frustrating part for me. It is something we pride ourselves on so that was very disappointing but that performance from us married up to an outstanding performance from Afghanistan meant that it wasn't good enough and they showed their skill today and we were outplayed.
[Reporter:]
New Zealand has been here about since May 23rd, you've only played your first match now, maybe over [inaudible] preparation on the match time, what other factors do you label what happened tonight?
[Kane Williamson:]
Yeah, I mean look everybody's preparation was different and for us it's just head down and focusing on what we can do and prepare as well as we can. And we certainly did that to the best of our ability. So, no excuses, but yeah, incredibly frustrating performance wise. I mean, Afghanistan were outstanding and we knew that that would be the case. They're playing really, really well. And the skill that they have certainly, well, across the board, but their bowling attack would be, in these conditions, one of the better ones going around I think or certainly in the top few so they were outstanding and for us it's moving on quickly we know we've got a match in a few days and it's about putting out a better performance.
[Reporter:]
You regret the decision to bowl first and the second question, what are some of the positives you will take out of this?
[Kane Williamson:]
Answer to the first one, no.
And answer to the second one, look, we're going to have to sit down and we are going to have to have a chat and review a little bit and then move on quickly and I think it's more reminders of what's important to what we do because the tournament is short from here on. I mean, it was mentioned we've been here for a long time, but we knew that when the games started, they'd be coming thick and fast. So, it's making some small adjustments, and we know we go to a different venue against a different opposition, so it's important we prepare for what's in front of us again.
[Reporter:]
Was Afghanistan very strong or you didn't play very well? And the second question, what was the target in your mind to limit Afghanistan?
[Kane Williamson:]
I think a bit of both. I mean certainly they're not the standards that we expect of ourselves, but take nothing away from Afghanistan, they were superb. And they've been building as a group for some time now and we're seeing performances like that from them quite regularly, so I think a bit of both. For us it's about reviewing our performance and looking to find areas that we can improve on. And like I say, the fielding element for us is important to our team, and it wasn't up to the standard.
I suppose it’s a moving target really, you might have an idea in your mind, but on a surface that offers a bit to bowlers – it’s a bit of – to get no wicket down after eleven twelve overs meant that they had a very strong platform to get to what was a good score on that surface and they did it's superbly well.
So yeah, I think looking at the surface maybe it was 150 taking your opportunities 140ish - like I said they played it really, really well, they know the skills that they have with the ball in hand and it was an outstanding blueprint from Afghanistan and like I said, we’ll review our own performance and know that we need to be a lot better.
[Reporter:]
The loss against Afghanistan here puts a lot of pressure on the clash against West Indies in Trinidad on a similar surface and they also have three spinners they're probably going to unleash against New Zealand. How are you guys going to pick yourself up and prepare for that kind of clash? I know there are other group matches but it really means you have to probably beat West Indies to get out of this group?
[Kane Willaimson:]
Yeah, I mean it's one match at a time and today's disappointing but a big part of this and in tournament sport it's picking yourselves up and moving on quickly and reminding yourselves of what's important to our game as a team and look to go out and be a lot better. We know how strong the West Indies side is as well, so all teams are threats, we've seen it throughout, the conditions keep changing in this competition and we've seen so many tight matches and that's the nature of it which is exciting in terms of a competition. But for us it's changing our focus, looking at some of the areas we can definitely get better at and moving on and look forward to putting out a stronger performance which would be important for us.