"We need five or six sixes"- Tim David opens up on his chat with Mitchell Marsh during final stages of incredible chase for Australia vs NZ
Tim David produced a masterclass in finishing during the first T20I between Australia and New Zealand as he smashed 31 runs off just 10 balls to help the visitors get over the line in a last-ball thriller at Wellington.
David had walked out to bat when Australia needed 44 off 19 balls and hit three sixes and two fours to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The big-hitter wasn't keen on running hard between the wickets as his focus was on clearing the boundaries.
Here's what Tim David was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au to his skipper Mitchell Marsh during their partnership in the first T20I:
"I was saying to Mitch 'I think we need five or six sixes in 14 balls, or 15 balls' and I didn’t feel like I was going to get it (the target) running twos. My strength is to take the game on and it probably came to a certain stage in that game where I was like 'we’ve got to make a dent here, try and get the runs', so it kind of evolved from there."
Tim David also stressed the importance of focusing on the process and not looking too much into the result of the game.
Tim David on whether finishing role is toughest in T20Is
Michell Marsh heaped praise on Tim David after the first T20I and also claimed that the finisher's role in T20Is is the toughest. However, Tim David feels that each role has its unique skillset needed, claiming that he would find it tough to survive against a swinging ball while batting in the top order.
On this, he stated:
"I think what he (Marsh) means by saying it's the hardest is that there's not a lot of guys that specialise in that position.But I don't think it's the hardest position. If you put me out there against the swinging ball at the start, where Heady (match high scorer Travis Head) was, it would have looked a lot different. So there's different skills sets that suit roles."
David is confident about his ability to turn the game on its head with his big-hitting prowess and is ready to adapt to the different situations that he could encounter. Australia potentially have a trump card on their hands for the T20 World Cup 2024 if the right-hander can sustain his form.