Black Caps legend Daniel Vettori has laid the blame on the bowling attack for New Zealand's eight-wicket defeat to Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup final.
Having reached the final on the back of brilliant bowling displays, the Black Caps were unable to defend their 172-4 in the final inDubai, with Australia cruising to victory with seven balls to spare.
Vettori believed the Black Caps had produced a competitive first-innings total but their bowlers weren't at their usual high standards.
"This will hurt a lot, particularly given [where they were] at the halfway stage and given it wasn't their best bowling performance. Their bowling attack was the thing that had got them this far, they had so many strengths and options and varieties, so that'll be disappointing to them," Vettori said on Cricinfo's post-match broadcast.
Australia's chase was led by David Warner (53 off 38 balls) and Mitch Marsh (77 not out off 50), and Vettori said Warner's innings not only helped set up the successful chase, but also negate the brilliant 48-ball 85 from Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson.
"It's a brilliant chase in a final under pressure – 170 on the board was exactly where New Zealand wanted to be.
"Marsh should get a lot of credit but I think the starting point is Warner – Warner in a lot of ways matched Williamson's innings with the intelligence with which he batted, his ability to turn over strike, his ability to chase down twos and the way he took on [Ish] Sodhi when he needed to, and [Jimmy] Neesham, he wanted to attack those guys as soon as they came in.
"I thought that was superb and it really set up the Marsh innings."
The Black Caps fell one game short of Twenty20 glory. Photo / Getty
Vettori pinpointed Adam Milne's first over to Marsh, where Marsh smacked 14 runs off the first three balls he faced, as a turning point in the match.
"I think that's where New Zealand will probably be disappointed in themselves, right from ball one against Marsh, that hip-high length ball that he hit Milne for six and it continued from there.
"They just didn't bowl well to him, they'll probably look back on that with some regret."
However, despite the final defeat, Vettori had plenty of praise for the Black Caps' tournament.
"It was just one of those days they were outplayed – I think New Zealand look at themselves as a whole and people talk about the 2019 World Cup and the Test Championship and now making the final of the T20 World Cup, it shows they are all-round one of the best teams in world cricket, and they have been for a long time.
"They should be very proud of their tournament, and very proud of where they are as a side."
