March 7, 2026 • 9 mins
All eyes will be on the Black Caps early tomorrow morning, as the Kiwi side will be gearing up for the T20 World Cup final.
New Zealand meet hosts and defending champions India in Ahmedabad, having never lifted a world cup trophy.
Black Caps player Rachin Ravindra joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks d B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Speaking of cricket. The black Caps are on the brink
of more history as they prepare to face India in
the final of the ICC Men's T twenty World Cup
tomorrow morning two thirty New Zealand Time. One of the
key figures in New Zealand's run to the final or
Rounder Ruch and Revendra should be another for Revendra obvious
third fin Outen with the catch. The all round are
(00:37):
doing the job with the ball.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Gone up.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's gone up, Mitchell getting in, getting in big hands
safely underneath that Revender has got four. Ruch and Revendra
joins us now out of India. Rutch and thanks for
your time. A World Cup final whatevery young cricketer dreams about.
I'm sure, how are you feeling in the lead up
to such a massive occasion.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Obviously it's something your dreamail as a kid and to
see yourself play on this we have the opportunity to
play on the stages is pretty special. In playing India
in their home conditions in front of you know, one
hundred and twentye hundred and thirty thousand people in the stadium.
Is this is going to be truly incredible? Obviously that
the nerves and stuff are always there and lead up
for training and stuff, but it's it would.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Be good fun.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
The semi final win over South Africa by nine wickets
utterly emphatic. What did that performance do for the confidence
of the team heading into the final?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, I think it's massive.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I mean, when you're in tournament cracket you sort of
get on a roll and end up playing, you know,
a bit of good cricket in each game.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
You take it a little bit of confidence.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
I think something that in fat and Fatic, The way
you siphon finn chase that down was incredible and I
think lead us in good seat for the final.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I just want to take you back to the batting innings.
You came in to join Finn Allen at one hundred
and seventeen for one. You're chasing one seventy. You get
through to one thirty seven for one after ten overs.
You take a single off the third ball of the
eleventh over that takes New Zealand to one thirty eight
for one. Finnellen then goes four or six one to
(02:07):
keep the strike four four sixty six four. You have
won by nine wickets with seven overs to spare. He's
gone from fifty eight to one hundred not out in
eleven balls. What was it like watching that innings from
the other end.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
It's honestly under laired by I think you look at
our two openers and you see the way they go
about it. For me, it's honestly unfathomable. Sometimes the power
and the hatting, it's it's almost a different game, you know,
And it's awesome to have that power at the top
of the order.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I mean when I walked.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Out about I sort of had an inkling find was
going to get there because it was just the rhythm
and timing.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Everything he was showing was incredible.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, it was outstanding. I spoke to Finallen last week
on the radio. Actually he was frustrated, he said, by
getting twenties and thirties and not going on with him.
Did you sense a real desire in finale and to
convert a big one in such a big game.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
It's always an interesting one in batting, and Pinaly notes
like it's sort of the harder you try to push
on after starts the worse it gets because all of
a sudden, you know, sort of milk a little bit
or not put the team first.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
And I think that's Fins one of his biggest strengths.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
He sort of always takes the game on in his
own way, and sometimes it comes off and like an
amazing not Ete hundred the other day. But even if
he gets twenty or thirty, he gets us off to
an amazing start. So either way, you know, whatever he's doing,
it's contributing to our team.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Your bowling roll right, and at this tournament's been fascinating
to watch your bowl eleven wickets, a terrific economy rate.
What's been the key to finding success with the ball
in these conditions?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
I guess just trying to use my skill and ability.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
I think obviously it's it's amazing to have sent next
to me and being able to chat to him about
a few things, but just trying to spin the ball
hard and keep it, you know, the life hard for
the bat as I guess for me being a vestment,
primarily it's it's it's quite handy because I get to
think like about it, you know what I mean, So
I can hopefully be a bit defensive when I feel
like they're coming or or keeping out of the arc
(04:05):
and stuff, So I want to stay one step ahead
of the game. Obviously, the wickeds in street ankle are
quite conducive for spin bowling, but you know, you get
back over to head to India and it's sitting there
a bit flatter.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
So it's always always an adaptation piece in our game.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I've seen you've spoken about varying your pace, your seam, angle, lines, lengths,
that sort of thing to make things difficult for opposition. Baddest,
you're only bowling twenty four deliveries, max, aren't you in
any one game? How much planning actually goes into each
spell in a T twenty game?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Yeah, it's It's always interesting because I probably plan bit
more with about than the ball. I sort of not
necessarily it's rock up, but it's a bit more of
natural craft for me in terms of my preparation. I
guess we talk a lot as a spin group, though,
and we talk about each batter and what lines we
can bowl to them and how to shut them down
and fields, et cetera. So that that goes quite that
(04:56):
makes the difference in terms of what we planned for
and I mean a lot of the time, it's instinct, right,
you get a feeling you want to bowl this ball
more than not. You trust your gut and hopefully a
cute because it can get quite complicated out there.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So India's batting lineup stacked with power and a lot
of left handers as well. How tricky a challenge does
that present for you as a left arm spinner.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, sure, I mean the matchup's not really quite there
left umps spin to left handers. In today's T twenty game,
it's you're always going to be a little bit under
the punt because they're gonna want to take you down.
But I think that's that's quite an exciting opportunity. You know,
you potentially a chance for a wicket, and you know,
you feel like you're in the game. And obviously it's
you know you can get it for a few bombs,
but that's that's part of the game. But I think
(05:40):
for for us, it's just understanding.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Who you're bowling to, what your role is at that time.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Obviously it's nice thing sat in at the other end
because I don't score too much off him, so they
always try to take me, take me down a little
bit but yeah, the matchup game would be huge. And
the cool thing is we've got spin that spins able
both ways and in terms of a couple off spinners
and a couple of left umps office, so we've got
basis covered, which is quite us indeed.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So a final in India against India at this massive stadium,
a huge home crowd, a lot of noise, how do
you block that outright and focus on the job at
hand when you're out there in the middle.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yeah, it's always an interesting one. I guess.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
The whole thing about blocking it like it's going to
be there, I think first of all, accepting almost the
pressure and what it's going to feel like, because you
know you're going up against the billion plus people who
are obviously going to be behind India and the noise
at that ground, the met about is crazy. So for us,
it's just keeping it simple, I think, and being as
(06:38):
present as possible and focusing on the next play, you know,
the next ball, whatever is that, whatever that importance is.
Because in finals it's so easy to get hit yourself,
it's so easy to look at the winning and losing
of it. But there's a reason why we got there,
and I think that's by you know, playing each moment.
So and I think there's no real way to completely
block out the crowd. I mean they're always going to
be there, but we're not bad. I don't really hear it.
(07:00):
So hopefully I combat for some time.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
So the Black Caps, I mean close and global tournament
a number of times in recent years. What would it
mean to this group to finally win a World Cup.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yeah, it's been awesome, you know, the Black Capps team
over the last you know, ten or so years has
been amazing and we've we've made a lot of world
events and we've had a fierce year of heartbreak and
the time being as well. So look, it's obviously if
we got opportunity, it'll be as it'll be fantastic. But
either way, I'm proud of the group and how we've
(07:34):
evolved and developed as a T twenty team.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
And super proud of the results.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
And hopefully we're inspiring everyone back home because that's really
what's important here.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You're certainly doing that. So just to finish, when the
anthems are all done and you look around that stadium
before the first ball, whether you're out there in the
field or you're sitting there with your pads on watching
Finaleen and Tim Seifer get ready to face the first ball.
What do you want the mindset of the black Caps
to be in that moment?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I guess come.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
The thing is with these games there is always a
lot of distractions, a lot of chaos around, right, so
I can be calm and shell and understand what the
task at hand is.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I think that will go a long way.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
But also playing our way, but also not you know,
fearing the big moments and taking them on because it's
T twenty credit. You know, it's if you take a
step back you find out, you know, you're one or
two balls of that, you end up losing the game.
It's such fine margins, so let's take the game on
and do it in that way.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Well, I can tell you, Ruch, and this won't surprise you.
Many thousands of people are setting their alarms for just
before two thirty tomorrow morning to get up and watch
your take on India in this T twenty final. Very
exciting times back here, very exciting for you as well.
Congrats on your part in getting New Zealand to the final.
All the best and thanks as always.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
For the chat that stress chess party. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
No, I appreciate you joining us rightch and thanks indeed,
Rutch and Ravendra there ahead of the T twenty World
Cup final. You look at his numbers in this T
twenty World Cup, eleven wickets at an average of just
ten point six four and an economy of six point
eighty eight. Look anything under seven runs and over in
T twenty cricket. We know how good that is.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks d B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Speaking of cricket. The black Caps are on the brink
of more history as they prepare to face India in
the final of the ICC Men's T twenty World Cup
tomorrow morning two thirty New Zealand Time. One of the
key figures in New Zealand's run to the final or
Rounder Ruch and Revendra should be another for Revendra obvious
third fin Outen with the catch. The all round are
(00:37):
doing the job with the ball.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Gone up.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's gone up, Mitchell getting in, getting in big hands
safely underneath that Revender has got four. Ruch and Revendra
joins us now out of India. Rutch and thanks for
your time. A World Cup final whatevery young cricketer dreams about.
I'm sure, how are you feeling in the lead up
to such a massive occasion.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Obviously it's something your dreamail as a kid and to
see yourself play on this we have the opportunity to
play on the stages is pretty special. In playing India
in their home conditions in front of you know, one
hundred and twentye hundred and thirty thousand people in the stadium.
Is this is going to be truly incredible? Obviously that
the nerves and stuff are always there and lead up
for training and stuff, but it's it would.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Be good fun.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
The semi final win over South Africa by nine wickets
utterly emphatic. What did that performance do for the confidence
of the team heading into the final?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, I think it's massive.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I mean, when you're in tournament cracket you sort of
get on a roll and end up playing, you know,
a bit of good cricket in each game.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
You take it a little bit of confidence.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
I think something that in fat and Fatic, The way
you siphon finn chase that down was incredible and I
think lead us in good seat for the final.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I just want to take you back to the batting innings.
You came in to join Finn Allen at one hundred
and seventeen for one. You're chasing one seventy. You get
through to one thirty seven for one after ten overs.
You take a single off the third ball of the
eleventh over that takes New Zealand to one thirty eight
for one. Finnellen then goes four or six one to
(02:07):
keep the strike four four sixty six four. You have
won by nine wickets with seven overs to spare. He's
gone from fifty eight to one hundred not out in
eleven balls. What was it like watching that innings from
the other end.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
It's honestly under laired by I think you look at
our two openers and you see the way they go
about it. For me, it's honestly unfathomable. Sometimes the power
and the hatting, it's it's almost a different game, you know,
And it's awesome to have that power at the top
of the order.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I mean when I walked.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Out about I sort of had an inkling find was
going to get there because it was just the rhythm
and timing.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Everything he was showing was incredible.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, it was outstanding. I spoke to Finallen last week
on the radio. Actually he was frustrated, he said, by
getting twenties and thirties and not going on with him.
Did you sense a real desire in finale and to
convert a big one in such a big game.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
It's always an interesting one in batting, and Pinaly notes
like it's sort of the harder you try to push
on after starts the worse it gets because all of
a sudden, you know, sort of milk a little bit
or not put the team first.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
And I think that's Fins one of his biggest strengths.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
He sort of always takes the game on in his
own way, and sometimes it comes off and like an
amazing not Ete hundred the other day. But even if
he gets twenty or thirty, he gets us off to
an amazing start. So either way, you know, whatever he's doing,
it's contributing to our team.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Your bowling roll right, and at this tournament's been fascinating
to watch your bowl eleven wickets, a terrific economy rate.
What's been the key to finding success with the ball
in these conditions?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
I guess just trying to use my skill and ability.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
I think obviously it's it's amazing to have sent next
to me and being able to chat to him about
a few things, but just trying to spin the ball
hard and keep it, you know, the life hard for
the bat as I guess for me being a vestment,
primarily it's it's it's quite handy because I get to
think like about it, you know what I mean, So
I can hopefully be a bit defensive when I feel
like they're coming or or keeping out of the arc
(04:05):
and stuff, So I want to stay one step ahead
of the game. Obviously, the wickeds in street ankle are
quite conducive for spin bowling, but you know, you get
back over to head to India and it's sitting there
a bit flatter.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
So it's always always an adaptation piece in our game.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I've seen you've spoken about varying your pace, your seam, angle, lines, lengths,
that sort of thing to make things difficult for opposition. Baddest,
you're only bowling twenty four deliveries, max, aren't you in
any one game? How much planning actually goes into each
spell in a T twenty game?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Yeah, it's It's always interesting because I probably plan bit
more with about than the ball. I sort of not
necessarily it's rock up, but it's a bit more of
natural craft for me in terms of my preparation. I
guess we talk a lot as a spin group, though,
and we talk about each batter and what lines we
can bowl to them and how to shut them down
and fields, et cetera. So that that goes quite that
(04:56):
makes the difference in terms of what we planned for
and I mean a lot of the time, it's instinct, right,
you get a feeling you want to bowl this ball
more than not. You trust your gut and hopefully a
cute because it can get quite complicated out there.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So India's batting lineup stacked with power and a lot
of left handers as well. How tricky a challenge does
that present for you as a left arm spinner.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, sure, I mean the matchup's not really quite there
left umps spin to left handers. In today's T twenty game,
it's you're always going to be a little bit under
the punt because they're gonna want to take you down.
But I think that's that's quite an exciting opportunity. You know,
you potentially a chance for a wicket, and you know,
you feel like you're in the game. And obviously it's
you know you can get it for a few bombs,
but that's that's part of the game. But I think
(05:40):
for for us, it's just understanding.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Who you're bowling to, what your role is at that time.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Obviously it's nice thing sat in at the other end
because I don't score too much off him, so they
always try to take me, take me down a little
bit but yeah, the matchup game would be huge. And
the cool thing is we've got spin that spins able
both ways and in terms of a couple off spinners
and a couple of left umps office, so we've got
basis covered, which is quite us indeed.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So a final in India against India at this massive stadium,
a huge home crowd, a lot of noise, how do
you block that outright and focus on the job at
hand when you're out there in the middle.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yeah, it's always an interesting one. I guess.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
The whole thing about blocking it like it's going to
be there, I think first of all, accepting almost the
pressure and what it's going to feel like, because you
know you're going up against the billion plus people who
are obviously going to be behind India and the noise
at that ground, the met about is crazy. So for us,
it's just keeping it simple, I think, and being as
(06:38):
present as possible and focusing on the next play, you know,
the next ball, whatever is that, whatever that importance is.
Because in finals it's so easy to get hit yourself,
it's so easy to look at the winning and losing
of it. But there's a reason why we got there,
and I think that's by you know, playing each moment.
So and I think there's no real way to completely
block out the crowd. I mean they're always going to
be there, but we're not bad. I don't really hear it.
(07:00):
So hopefully I combat for some time.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
So the Black Caps, I mean close and global tournament
a number of times in recent years. What would it
mean to this group to finally win a World Cup.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yeah, it's been awesome, you know, the Black Capps team
over the last you know, ten or so years has
been amazing and we've we've made a lot of world
events and we've had a fierce year of heartbreak and
the time being as well. So look, it's obviously if
we got opportunity, it'll be as it'll be fantastic. But
either way, I'm proud of the group and how we've
(07:34):
evolved and developed as a T twenty team.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
And super proud of the results.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
And hopefully we're inspiring everyone back home because that's really
what's important here.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You're certainly doing that. So just to finish, when the
anthems are all done and you look around that stadium
before the first ball, whether you're out there in the
field or you're sitting there with your pads on watching
Finaleen and Tim Seifer get ready to face the first ball.
What do you want the mindset of the black Caps
to be in that moment?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I guess come.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
The thing is with these games there is always a
lot of distractions, a lot of chaos around, right, so
I can be calm and shell and understand what the
task at hand is.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I think that will go a long way.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
But also playing our way, but also not you know,
fearing the big moments and taking them on because it's
T twenty credit. You know, it's if you take a
step back you find out, you know, you're one or
two balls of that, you end up losing the game.
It's such fine margins, so let's take the game on
and do it in that way.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Well, I can tell you, Ruch, and this won't surprise you.
Many thousands of people are setting their alarms for just
before two thirty tomorrow morning to get up and watch
your take on India in this T twenty final. Very
exciting times back here, very exciting for you as well.
Congrats on your part in getting New Zealand to the final.
All the best and thanks as always.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
For the chat that stress chess party. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
No, I appreciate you joining us rightch and thanks indeed,
Rutch and Ravendra there ahead of the T twenty World
Cup final. You look at his numbers in this T
twenty World Cup, eleven wickets at an average of just
ten point six four and an economy of six point
eighty eight. Look anything under seven runs and over in
T twenty cricket. We know how good that is.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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