Is there a cure for New Zealand’s Super Over disease

The biggest heartbreak that cricket - the greatest sport in the world - caused in my life was that godforsaken 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s. While the ground has made significant contributions to every cricket fan’s life in the form of treasured memories, the ‘Mecca of Cricket’ will always remind me of the day my team, my Black Caps, came excruciatingly close to winning their first-ever World Cup but failed. As England lifted the trophy, a majority of fans in the world argued how unfair it was on the Kiwis to be denied a title even after a tied Super Over. For a good 24 hours, I couldn’t process what happened, even though I understood every rule that’s in the sport. 

But that backfired when they lost to India, on Wednesday, at Hamilton after Kane Williamson produced his greatest T20I innings, and probably one of the best in the format’s history. Williamson’s 95 off 48 set the tone for their chase of the 180-run target. The skipper orchestrated a spectacular show despite hiccups here and there, but in the end, it was, Hiccups 1 - 0 Kane Williamson. In what was an unexpected eventuality, New Zealand overcame the Jasprit Bumrah threat in the death overs and the ask in the final over was just nine runs. At that point, Williamson was 95 unbeaten off 47 deliveries.

First, Williamson got dismissed next ball by trying a dab instead of just glancing it across square leg. Second, a clueless Tim Seifert came in next and only managed to run a single off a bye on the second delivery faced. That had the scores levelled. And finally, the senior-most Kiwi in the side had to score a single off the final delivery, but he was bowled by Shami instead. 

After losing - quite convincingly- to Australia in 2015 World Cup final at the MCG, New Zealand made it to another final. After letting par score in the Super Over shatter a million dreams, New Zealand had one more tied match. And then another. 

“Super Overs aren’t really our friends. To be honest we would have liked to get across the line earlier and not in the Super Over. It’s just a shame that we couldn’t get past the line.” - were a disappointed Kane Williamson’s words after the game. But what if you don’t get past the line once again, captain? Is giving up really the mantra of this new-look team?

But what I’ve seen in the past six years, the kind of revolution in their style of play, speaks a different story. Whoever said “faith can move mountains” was right. New Zealand have adapted to changes miraculously, learned to fight back, have shown ability and shown what they’re capable of. But, dare I say, they haven’t made winning a habit yet.

Beyond emotions, beyond fairness, there’s one eternal truth - the reality of life. All the arguments about fairness have faded with time. What remains is the fact that six months following that Lord’s final, England holds the trophy and New Zealand don’t. That’s one truth that New Zealand has to live with. What they don’t have to be stuck with is those final moments of the final. 

But they haven’t moved on and that shows in their style of handling clutch situations. The decider T20I against England and the 3rd T20I against India just highlight the case. 

A team that struggled across six World Cup semifinals won their seventh only thanks to a lion-hearted determination. Once New Zealand come around with that change in clutch situations as well, they’ll not just punch above their weight but also be champions someday. If not, Jimmy Neesham would ask the team to just learn how to bake.