Tim Southee feels blessed to represent his country, says,” That’s what keeps me up and gets me going”

New Zealand captain Tim Southee wants his team to shift its focus from the defeat in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final to the three-match T20I series against India, commencing from Wednesday.

Tim Southee will lead the New Zealand team in the absence of Kane Williamson, who will be focusing on the two-match Test series which comes after the T20Is. In a pre-match press conference held on Tuesday, Southee opened up about the team’s recent loss in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

He said,” Guys are disappointed. We played some pretty good cricket throughout the T20 World Cup and are disappointed to have not won the other night. But we got to shift our focus on this series and the new challenge of playing India in India. We will have to adapt slightly to the conditions here in India.”

On Willaimson’s absence, he said,”Kane’s a big miss for this side. He’s a quality player. It is an opportunity for someone else to come in and fill for him. It is always exciting, the challenge and honour to captain New Zealand. Anytime you play cricket in India is always a special occasion.”

He also addressed the teams cramped schedule. “It’s a pretty busy schedule. We knew that this was going to be the case in the T20 World Cup. We had a series in Bangladesh and Pakistan with some guys in the IPL. What’s happened in the last couple of years has made scheduling a lot tougher. Guys had to do quarantine and whatnot. Logistically, it’s been a bit of a challenge. But as players, you just got to have a crack on and play what’s in front.”

He concluded by mentioning that he feels indeed blessed to represent his team. He signed off saying, “It’s busy. We really haven’t got the chance to stop and think. With the final in Dubai, things just sort of finished there. But we got to shift our focus on this series and onto the Tests. Representing your country is a big honour. That’s what keeps me up and gets me going.”

 

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Privacy & Cookies Policy