New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that the pitch in Dubai was slower than expected and played a significant role in his team's 44-run defeat against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Addressing the post-match press conference, Santner acknowledged that India's spinners executed their plans brilliantly, making it difficult for the Kiwis to chase the target.
"The pitch was slower compared to the previous matches. India gained excellent control in the middle overs.
Shreyas Iyer played a fantastic knock, while Hardik Pandya provided a perfect finish.
There was more spin than we anticipated, which made things challenging for us," Santner remarked.
He further added that facing four high-quality Indian spinners was never easy and that New Zealand failed to take crucial wickets in the powerplay, which ultimately cost them the match.
However, he expressed optimism over Kane Williamson’s form, calling it a positive sign for the team ahead of their semi-finals against South Africa.
"South Africa is a top-quality side with four exceptional fast bowlers who will challenge us on bouncy and pace-friendly pitches," Santner noted.