Santner Hails Ravindra's Performance After New Zealand's ICC Final Defeat

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner praised his team's efforts despite losing to India in the ICC Champions Trophy final.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner expressed pride in his team's performance despite falling short against India in the ICC Champions Trophy final on Sunday. Santner described the loss as a “bittersweet” ending to his first ICC tournament as captain.

The final match was a closely contested affair, with New Zealand ultimately losing to India by four wickets in Dubai. The title clash was decided in the penultimate over, bringing an end to the Black Caps' campaign. Santner, who took over as white-ball captain from Kane Williamson in December, reflected on the experience, saying, “It has been very enjoyable.”

Santner, a left-arm spinner and a skilled batter, led the team through a mixed campaign, where they lost two of their five matches, both of which were against India. Despite the defeats, Santner's leadership and the team's overall performance were notable aspects of their Champions Trophy run.

Mitchell Santner credited his team for making his job as captain easy, saying, “Made easy by the group. Different guys stepping up at different times makes it easy.” He acknowledged the challenges they faced but highlighted the team's adaptability, adding, “We have had a few challenges but we have adapted. It has been a great tournament.”

Under Santner's leadership, New Zealand became the first team to reach the semi-finals, joined by India after securing wins over hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh. The team's semi-final victory over South Africa in Lahore was notable, with centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. In the final, New Zealand opted to bat first on a sluggish pitch that favored spinners.

New Zealand posted a total of 251-7, with Rachin Ravindra contributing 37 runs to help the team start strongly. However, Indian spinners soon struck back with wickets. Daryl Mitchell top-scored with 63, and Michael Bracewell finished with an unbeaten 53 off 40 balls. Despite their efforts, it wasn't enough to overcome India's deep batting lineup.

Reflecting on the final, Santner said, “I guess it's kind of bittersweet at the end.” He acknowledged that New Zealand faced a strong opponent but was pleased with the team's performance, adding, “I think we came up against a good side in the final but yeah you know we challenged in there at times throughout this game, which was pleasing.”

Santner identified moments where the game slipped away from New Zealand but expressed pride in his team's overall performance, saying, “I think there was probably a couple of small moments where we let it get away from us, but yeah incredibly proud of this group the way we've kind of gone about it throughout this tournament.”

Ravindra had a stellar performance in the eight-nation tournament, scoring two centuries and accumulating 263 runs to earn the Player of the Series award. He also showcased his skills with the ball, taking three wickets with his left-arm spin. Ravindra's impressive display came after he made a successful return to the team following a recovery from a serious injury sustained during a warm-up match in Pakistan.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was full of praise for Ravindra, saying, “We've seen how he steps up in these major events and that's all you can ask for.” Santner was impressed by Ravindra's maturity and understanding of his game at a young age, adding, “He understands his game at such a young age already. He's got such a massive future ahead.” Santner also highlighted Ravindra's ability to take the game away from the opposition, noting, “He even took the ball in hand and put the pressure back on them today.”