Kane Williamson played down the talks surrounding the “pitch swap controversy,” admitting that the World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand was played on a surface that had been used before. A controversy erupted ahead of India vs. New Zealand in the 2023 Cricket World Cup semi-final, with accusations that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had altered the pitch at the last minute to benefit India. At the press conference following the match, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson downplayed the controversy when asked about it.
Williamson acknowledged at the press conference that the wicket had been used, but he highlighted its quality and said that New Zealand had no issues.
“Well, it was a used wicket, but as we could see, the surface was in good condition. They really made a lot of use of it in the first part of the game. And circumstances, I suppose, shift as they move under lights and other circumstances, as this competition has shown us. That’s okay, as expected, and they gave a great performance. He answered a reporter’s question, saying, “So yeah, I mean, it’s disappointing to get to this stage and not go further, but at the same time, you sort of reflect on the seven weeks rather than a couple of small moments, and we lost to a better side.”
Williamson also praised India as “the best team in the world,” saying he is sure they will have a positive mindset going into the championship.
“That’s difficult because they’re the best team in the world and they’re all playing their best cricket. Furthermore, I believe that cricket frequently revolves around failure and how one handles it. They have played incredibly well throughout this tournament. They really haven’t missed a beat, and to advance to the semi-finals, you have to go through the round-robin and attempt to reach the stage before starting over. Nevertheless, the way they performed and performed demonstrated their mindset and level of comfort, and the Kiwi captain expressed confidence that they will enter the next match with a strong sense of purpose.
