Allrounder Glenn Phillips didn’t think the inconsistency they showed in the series against India and the loss to South Africa is a major issue.
“There’s not necessarily been a pattern per se,” Phillips said.
“If our top order’s gone down, then our middle order stepped up. And sometimes it just happens to be the way that the top order gets off to a start and then the middle can’t go through. So that’s just the nature of T20 cricket when you’re trying to keep the momentum going the whole time.
“If you look at the options the boys took, they’re in really clear mindsets. Obviously, it just comes down to execution at the end of the day.
“And then with the ball as well, we’re just trying to make sure that we’re hitting our straps as much as possible. If we didn’t bowl as well as we have on previous days then we look at that and we go, we can be better on the next day and that’s fine.”
If New Zealand bat first against Canada in Chennai, they would like to get close to setting a target of 200 – but that’s a score they haven’t managed yet in the tournament.
With victory expected in this game, the selectors may consider rotating a few players, however they may also be keen to play some of their regulars back into form.
The two sides have met three times in One-Day World Cups, with New Zealand winning all three, but this is their first clash in a Twenty20 International (T20I).
New Zealand will be without Lockie Ferguson for the match after he returned home for the birth of his child. Fellow paceman Kyle Jamieson could take his place in the side, while spinner Ish Sodhi is another option.
Meanwhile, tournament organisers have approved the inclusion of off-spinning allrounder Cole McConchie to join the New Zealand squad as a replacement for the injured Michael Bracewell.
