New Zealand‘s cricket team is grappling with rain and jetlag as they prepare for their T20 World Cup opener. Head coach Gary Stead remains optimistic that their late start in the tournament will allow the team to gather valuable insights from the matches that have already been played.
The team has faced rain since arriving in the Caribbean, managing only two full training sessions that included centre-wicket scenarios in the absence of warm-up matches. Stead highlighted the challenges posed by the team’s staggered arrival, with Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson joining last Sunday after brief breaks at home following the IPL.
“You don’t always get ideal [situations] when people are coming from all over the world,” Stead explained. “And one of the things we have found here is jetlag probably hits you a little bit hard. I know a number of people have been up in the middle of the night, which isn’t great for your preparation, but thankfully we have enough time leading in being the 14th game of the tournament that guys can sort that out.”
New Zealand’s decision to forgo warm-up matches means some players haven’t played since the end of the home season in March. This, combined with the long travel, adds another layer of complexity to their preparations.
There is also concern about how the weather could affect match outcomes, especially with the possibility of rained-off games impacting qualification and the potential for shortened games to bring the DLS method into play. Stead expressed relief that the worst of the weather seems to have passed but acknowledged the ongoing concern.
“Looks like the weather bomb that was hitting here has passed us by,” Stead noted. “It’s definitely somewhat of a concern that in such a quick period of time of pool play that you want to play every match you can.”
On a positive note, the squad is in good health, with Finn Allen making a full recovery from the back injury that ruled him out of the Pakistan tour. “He’s progressing well, has taken a full part in training so at this stage, touch wood, we are 100% with no injuries,” Stead reported.
Stead also emphasized the importance of adaptability within the squad, noting that New Zealand has selected players capable of adjusting to different roles and conditions. The team will be closely watching the Afghanistan-Uganda match in Guyana, the first night game New Zealand will play, to understand the impact of dew.
“We’ll get an idea if that helps the ball slide on a little more… it will be interesting to see after tonight how that plays out,” Stead said. “We’ve tried to select a group of guys who we think are adaptable and can adapt to the different roles and situations in the match. When you look at our squad it’s been the strength of a number of players in the past, working out what par is on any given pitch.”
Stead also pointed out the potential differences between playing during the day and at night, with the dew factor expected to play a significant role in evening matches. “I do think there will be a difference between playing in the daytime and in the evening. I suspect there will be a high dew factor here to play in the evening and that’s certainly the news we are getting.”
With the tournament’s challenges ahead, New Zealand’s team is focusing on preparation and adaptability as they look to make a strong start in their World Cup campaign.
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