In the wake of a swirling controversy surrounding the utilization of a previously used pitch in the Men's ODI World Cup 2023 semifinal, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson conceded that, despite the debate, the surface was, in fact, quite commendable as his Black Caps succumbed to a defeat against hosts India on Wednesday.
Earlier reports had suggested that the BCCI orchestrated a switch, opting for a pitch that had already witnessed two matches instead of the fresh one earmarked for the final, purportedly to favor their spinners.
Ultimately, the match unfolded on a dry and sluggish pitch, witnessing stellar performances from Virat Kohli (117), Shreyas Iyer (105) of India, and Daryl Mitchell (134) of New Zealand, with India's Mohammed Shami claiming an impressive seven-wicket haul (7-57).
Acknowledging the used nature of the pitch, Williamson expressed, "Yeah, it was a used wicket, but a pretty good surface really, as we saw. I mean, they got plenty out of it in the first half of the match. And conditions, I guess they change as they go under lights and things, and that's what we've seen throughout this competition. That's fine, that's what you expect and they played really well," during the post-match press conference on Wednesday.
While the defeat in the semifinal was disheartening for Williamson, he maintained a sense of pride in his team's resilient performance throughout the seven-week event. Reflecting on the loss, he stated, "So yeah, I mean it's disappointing to get to this stage and not go further, but also at the same time you sort of reflect on the seven weeks rather than a couple of small moments and we lost to a better side."
Addressing the disparities between the two teams in the crucial match, Williamson credited India's outstanding performance and admitted that his team failed to create significant opportunities in the first half. "Yeah, I suppose we'll sit down and talk about that a little bit. I mean, we move on quite quickly now to another series but sometimes you have to tip your cap to a team that plays well and I mean they were outstanding," he remarked.
As the captain emphasized the need for constant improvement, he acknowledged the quality exhibited by the opposition and emphasized the importance of learning from the experience to evolve into a stronger team in the future. "For us, it's sucking it up and taking it on the chin, taking those experiences in to become a better side and move forward," concluded Williamson.
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