T20 World Cup 2021 | Daryl Mitchell batted beautifully in high pressure situation, says Kane Williamson as New Zealand storm into final

At 13/2 in the third over, with Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson back in the hut, New Zealand were pushed on the backfoot early during their run-chase of 167. However, Daryl Mitchell stitched crucial partnerships with Devon Conway (46 off 38) and Jimmy Neesham (27 off 11) to take his team over the line with an over to spare.

“Most players have played together in various tournaments,” said Williamson after the win. “Knew it was going to be a great game of cricket. Thought they had a pretty competitive total. But just by staying in there, building the partnerships and cashing in on some moments, some matchups. Definitely something that stood out today (Mitchell's character). Has batted beautifully in a high pressure situation.

Mitchell looked back at a game-defining innings, and acknowledged Conway and Neesham for their timely support.

"A bit of a whirlwind, nice to get the job done and move onto the big dance,” he said as he received the Player of the Match award. “Challenging, especially at the start. The way Devon Conway batted through the middle, and Neesh, really helped us. It's a game of momentum, we knew we needed one or two big overs, and the way he struck the ball from ball one... With what's going on in the world, for my dad to travel halfway around the world and be here is pretty cool."