This time for New Zealand?

Black Caps need to prove they can be nicest team as well as World champions in white-ball cricket.

This has been New Zealand’s year. Correction. The past few years have been about them. The Kiwis may not have adequate silverware to prove it. Neither do they have favourable numbers. But they have shown up almost everywhere at the right time with the right bunch of characters, nearly all of whom play all formats. Cricket isn’t exactly big in New Zealand. For a country where sheep outnumber people five to one, they have the most successful rugby team of all time, a netball team that has won the World Cup five times (last in 2019), an up to scratch football team that had held Italy in the 2010 World Cup and world-class athletes who won 20 medals in the 2020 Olympics, including seven gold. Compare that to their cricket team that was World Cup finalists the last two editions and World Test Champion among nine teams this year and you will understand why they are not always in the news in their own country.

New Zealand players (NZC)

At least they are making the right noises now. For the longest time, New Zealand were second favourites for many non-Kiwis, in case your team was knocked out. This wasn’t only about their cricket. Yes, Sir Richard Hardlee, Martin Crowe and Mark Greatbatch made it easy for the neutrals to turn into Kiwi fans. Being known primarily for being "nice" is actually quite the achievement. The Kiwis don’t abuse or throw tantrums and are rather inclusive (ask Jeetan Patel, Ish Sodhi or Devon Conway). Their self-deprecating sense of humour (yes, you Jimmy Neesham) makes you question the star culture in India. Win or lose, they will always knock on your door with a six pack. Who wouldn’t like them? Now try to put aside all the platitudes and you will also notice the steady stream of fine cricketers from New Zealand despite their ridiculously small cricket populace--Glenn Turner, Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Geoff Allott, Shane Bond, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult and Kane Williamson--and it will start pricking why they are yet to win an ICC World Cup.

Okay, so the hand of fate (or should we say Ben Stokes?) played a major role in denying them cricket’s ultimate prize at Lord’s on July 14, 2019. Four years before that, stage fright perhaps got to them against Australia at the imposing MCG. But individually or as a team, they just keep coming back at you at every opportunity--notching a rare Test series in England, winning the Test Championship against India, beating West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh back-to-back in home T20I series before impressing in the Indian Premier League with the likes of Lockie Ferguson, Boult and Kylie Jamieson. Boult has built a reputation of being Mumbai Indians’ first line attack with his swing. Ferguson has been a revelation for Kolkata Knight Riders, mustering an economy of 7.46 this season while unnerving batters with 150 kph screamers. Jamieson is touted as the find of this season, a 6’8” medium pacer with the right blend of variations for slower surfaces and a terrifying bat swing when he decides to throw caution in the air.

New Zealanders have navigated their way to success in coaching as well--three out of IPL’s top-four teams this season had Kiwi coaches: Fleming (champions Chennai Super Kings), McCullum (KKR) and Mike Hesson (Royal Challengers Bangalore). So, when the IPL ended, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead quickly roped in Fleming and MI bowling coach Shane Bond (who will work specifically with, you read it right, "spinners") to give the squad a boost.

You can understand the urgency. T20 has not been New Zealand’s greatest team pursuit. But there may not be a better time to rewrite the record that has them never reaching a T20 World Cup final. To start with, never has New Zealand’s confidence been higher. The momentum of a tied 2019 World Cup final along with winning the Test Championship mace and four successive home series makes this the right time to tick the box that matters. There are some concerns. Williamson has an elbow niggle but he says it's fine. And there is always the worry about UAE’s sapping heat (three out of their five group league matches are in the afternoon). But the personnel, even without Taylor (who wasn’t picked), makes you sit up and take notice. It always did, but never like this. But you won’t feel the difference because of New Zealand’s perennial underdogs tag. Williamson may despise the term, but he won’t let you know. Because he is nice. But he also can’t deny history weighs heavy on them. Always the bridesmaid in white-ball cricket, New Zealand need to prove they can be the nicest team as well as world champions.