Kane Williamson reveals the reason behind sending Guptill and Neesham in the CWC Final Super Over
Kane Williamson, New Zealand's skipper and one of their most premier batsmen, has shone light on the reason behind sending Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham to bat in the Super Over of the 2019 World Cup Final against England.
The Black Caps had to chase down 16 runs in the dreaded Super Over to achieve the ultimate glory, and that too off Jofra Archer.
"I had a very brief discussion with the coach Gary Stead. I had a few guys in my mind who could go out to bat as we were going to bat second in the Super Over. The decision to send out batsmen was dependent on how much we were chasing and who the bowler was probably going to be."
I was padded to come in at number three: Kane Williamson
Speaking about his decision-making process on the eve of that Super Over with Ravichandran Ashwin on the off-spinner's Youtube channel, Kane Williamson said that Neesham was an automatic choice because of his power-hitting ability that few in the New Zealand line-up possessed.
To partner Neesham, Kane Williamson backed Guptill because of his incredibly brisk running between the wickets, even though the latter was out of sorts during the tournament.
"It was about giving yourself the best possible opportunity. Neesham was hitting the ball very well throughout the World Cup, and we all know how capable Guptill really is in hitting the ball out of the park. There was a short boundary on one side of the ground. They are both quick between the 22 yards, so that helped too."
The 29-year-old also revealed that he was the next man in had the Kiwis lost a wicket.
Kane Williamson wasn't required to come out to bat as Guptill got run out of the last ball of the over, with New Zealand level with England's score of 15. The tie wasn't enough for New Zealand, as England were declared champions due to a superior boundary count.
“I was padded up to come in at three, it was a different experience to be a part of, both Neesham and Guptill did a good job, Jofra Archer is a remarkable bowler, emotions were so high after the final, it was a long tournament when the time comes and it finishes, it`s like of a draining feeling as all of it finishes. The guys were filled with emotion after what really transpired."