Santer’s New Zealand ready for Sri Lanka’s spin challenge

AFP | Colombo

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New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner said yesterday adapting to slow-turning pitches in Colombo would be key for their crucial T20 World Cup clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka. The Black Caps need a win in their second Super Eights match in Group 2 on Wednesday at the R. Premadasa Stadium after their first match against Pakistan was washed out at the same venue.

Santner’s team have been in the Sri Lankan capital for a week after finishing their group stage in India. “I guess that’s the challenge when you play a tournament in two countries -- we played in Chennai and Ahmedabad on flat pitches and here we have to play a bit differently,” Santner told reporters.

“But I think you pick a squad of 15, knowing that you could potentially be in both countries on slightly slower wickets, on some flat ones as well.”

Sri Lanka come into the contest in a must-win situation after they suffered a huge loss to England in their Super Eights opener in Kandy.