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If New Zealand ever wants to win some form of Cricket World Cup, they must learn how to beat Sri Lanka.
Every time the Black Caps come up against them in a knockout stage of a World Cup (2003 Super 6; 2007 Semis; and 2009 Twenty20 Super 8), they cannot even come close to the Sri Lankans.
New Zealand’s bowling line-up is, at least recently, nowhere near good enough to outplay an explosive and extremely talented batting line-up like the Sri Lankans.
When they have to, such as in these knockout matches, the Sri Lankans easily rise to the occasion, whereas the Black Caps, if anything, underperform.
New Zealand’s batting is exactly the same.
On paper, they have a decent batting line-up, and certainly have in the past, but again falter at the knockout stages against Sri Lanka.
A prime example of this, was 2007. The batting line-up in that match for the Kiwis was superb. Names like Fleming, McMillan, Taylor, Oram, McCullum and Styris. Still, they could only manage a little over 200, on a decent batting track.
Again, it was exactly the same in the recent Twenty20 World Cup Super 8 match.
Sure, the side this year wasn’t as strong as that of 2007. But they should have gotten a lot closer than what they did.
Yes, Twenty20 is somewhat of a lottery at times, but we have been able to stand up against other countries in this form of the game.
Now, there’s probably a few of you thinking to yourself: “Sri Lanka had a far better team that year.” And yes, I agree.
But the boys in black had managed to beat them in a series, admittedly at home, just before the World Cup.
The Black Caps can beat the likes of Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, England, West Indies in World Cup situations, but they can’t seem to get past the Sri Lankans in the knockout phases.
So the New Zealanders either learn how to beat Sri Lanka in knockout situations, somehow avoid them when it comes to the crunch, or never win a World Cup.
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