IND vs NZ: New Zealand batter Mark Chapman admitted that the guys in his side are tired after playing a game just two days after the T20 World Cup final. He also accepted the challenges of international cricket in today’s age. Notably, the Blackcaps played the final against Australia on November 14. They left UAE the next day and resumed cricket just a day after reaching India. Follow India vs New Zealand LIVE updates on InsideSport
IND vs NZ LIVE: Mark Chapman says Kiwis are tired but play for New Zealand with pride
“The guys been a little bit tired, but we always play for New Zealand with pride. Particularly for myself and Todd, who have been on the sidelines, it was a really exciting moment to be playing,” said Chapman after the game.
“To be honest, it was just nice to be out there. Had a lot of training behind the scenes, but nothing beats the real thing of being out in the middle,” he added.
Chapman further added that he was waiting for the opportunity. He ensured he contribute to the team off the field during the T20I World Cup.
“In World Cups, you play your best XI and if we’re going well, then more than likely you stick with your best team. So it just meant that I was on the sidelines for a bit. I did my best to support the guys in and around training,” said Chapman.
He credited his preparation after his blistering knock against in the T20I opener. He scored crucial 63 runs knock off just 50 balls.
“You find ways to add context to your training. Obviously, being in and around this environment, you try and train the best you can given the situation and make the most of the opportunities to train. There was a lot of training in the background. I felt prepared, but I guess match-preparation wise it wasn’t ideal. But just happy to be out there,” he added.
Suryakumar Yadav (62) and Rohit Sharma (48) starred with the bat as India chased down 165 to defeat New Zealand by five wickets in the first T20I.
Martin Guptill and Mark Chapman played knocks of 70 and 63 respectively as New Zealand posted a total of 164/6. For India, Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with two wickets each.
With this win, India gained a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second game set to be played on Friday.
IND vs NZ: Flexible Suryakumar Yadav ready to bat at any position after first T20I heroics
IND vs NZ LIVE: Mark Chapman says Kiwis are tired but play for New Zealand with pride
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