Matt Henry- New Zealand post-match press conference, 2 March '25
[Reporter:]
The runs just didn’t stop from India?
[Matt Henry:]
I thought we bowled really well. I think there was, I suppose it ebbed and flowed and I think we're pretty happy with how we went about our work out there, definitely. We knew that it was going to be a tough chase out there, knowing that spin was going to play a big part as well. So yeah, obviously pretty pleased with how we got to it, but it was probably a par score.
[Reporter:]
You lost the match, disappointing, but when you go into the next match in the semi-final, will you carry the burden of this match to that? Will it affect your performance in the semifinal?
[Matt Henry:]
No, I wouldn't have thought so. We've been playing some really good cricket throughout this tournament. And obviously, we're going to get on the plane this morning. And we'll obviously take our learnings from this game, but also understanding the conditions when we go to Pakistan. And we've played a few games in that tri-series there. And we'll be ready to face the semifinal.
[Reporter:]
Varun Chakravarthy, he got the Man of the Match award. So, what do you think, New Zealand could not handle his skills and guiles or he was effective because of the assistance from the wicket?
[Matt Henry:]
Oh, he bowled beautifully, didn't he? I think he showed his skill tonight, the way he turned the ball both ways, and even the way that he could bowl pace. I thought he was brilliant, and yeah, that they were able to put us under pressure right throughout.
[Reporter:]
We've been hearing from the Indian team, the captain, especially in the beginning, that there hasn't really been much dew. What did you think of the conditions? Because normally, there is dew over here. It's been colder than most of the times when teams come about to play. So, what did you think about the conditions today? How much did they aid you?
[Matt Henry:]
Yeah, I think we were probably expecting a little bit of dew there, but it seemed to grip right through, so probably not as much as we would have expected - but look India bowled very well, they were able to put us under pressure right throughout their innings and yeah, it's too good.
[Reporter:]
There was a lot of criticism that India has an unfair advantage in Dubai. But do you think that the opponent should concede that India was smart in their planning because they were the only side to come up with five spinners. And now you look at the conditions, almost 40 overs of a spin is possible, whether it's semifinal or final in Dubai?
[Matt Henry:]
Yeah, I think obviously the way to have four front line spinners was a really effective way to play tonight. Yeah, I think having that luxury of knowing that is, they played to the conditions beautifully. And that was probably what was the challenge for us. We knew that coming here, they were going to play the four front line spinners and the way to negate that - and yeah, obviously tonight they bowled beautiful. They read the situation and read the conditions well. And yeah, unfortunately, we couldn't get across the line.
[Reporter:]
Given a choice, would you have batted first on that pitch? And the other question is, among all the teams that have played at this venue so far, you guys have been probably the best. The way your pace bowling unit used that pitch. What is the ideal way to use that pitch if you are a fast bowler?
[Matt Henry:]
Yeah, I think the key is just adapting. It's something we talk about as a fast-bowling group is reading conditions and trying to get the opposition to be taking tough options and I think we managed to do that throughout even in the power play. They managed to get the odd boundary, but they were tough options. And I think if we can keep doing that, we can take wickets. And in the game of one day cricket, obviously, If you can take wickets throughout, especially throughout that middle, it makes a massive difference at the back end. And I think the collective group, we bowled really well. Very pleased with the seam attack today. But yeah, moving forward, we'll take our learnings from here and we'll apply them back in Lahore, where we've played a few games there so far.
[Reporter:]
Toss – would you have batted first, looking at the conditions?
[Matt Henry:]
I'm not the captain. That's above my pay grade !
[Reporter:]
Matt, you had a brilliant start in the powerplay, three down for 30 odd runs on the board. The ball was doing a fair bit when Kylie Jameison was also bowling with you in tandem. What did you make? Were you kind of surprised with the ball doing so much for you guys with the new ball? Was it a specific plan that you were looking to swing it more in the air? If you could just talk about as a fast-bowling group, how did you adapt to these conditions so that others can kind of draw something out of your book?
[Matt Henry:]
Yeah, I think anytime you come up against a good opposition, especially a side like India where taking wickets is so important. So being up front, making sure that you can extract any swing or movement off the wicket's really important. So, you don't have too much time to waste with the new ball. It does get soft and doesn't move for very long. The key is to be accurate, but also to put teams under pressure, and I think the way that Kyle bowled beautifully tonight, I think even the way that even Varun came in and took some I mean he's creating chances right throughout his spell. And that's all we can ask for is we're creating chances. They will be taking wickets. And hopefully, we can put teams under some serious pressure.
[Reporter:]
Was there any chatter about Varun in the dressing room? Because it was his first match today. And most of the QB batsmen had played him in the IPL. So was there any chatter in
the dressing room about him this morning?
[Matt Henry:]
Well, yeah, I'm sure the batters, they always do their preparation and they would have had plenty of plans against him and stuff like that. But in terms of the way he bowled, he bowled beautifully. He extracted turn and pace and he just, to be on a match winning performance like that, to be able to create pressure and I suppose that's what they did in tandem. We talk about our fast-bowling group and our spinners as well were trying to bowl in partnerships and they did well, they could create pressure from both ends for sustained periods of time. And I think that was obviously making us to take tough options.
[Reporter:]
In all probability, you have to play in the semi-final match against South Africa. How do you rate the opposition? Is it a better one or did you want Australia?
[Matt Henry:]
I think whoever you're playing at this stage of the tournament, you've got the four best teams and I think you don't really have preferences. I think you're going into it more; you're going to be faced with challenges and all teams have their strengths. So obviously going into playing South Africa who have been playing some fantastic cricket and a very well-balanced side. They've obviously got a lot of power in that batting line-up, but they've obviously got a serious bowling attack as well. So yeah, semi-final cricket, finals cricket, it's always exciting and it's always great when you're playing against the best teams.
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