New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is too familiar with the fickleness of cricket's shortest format to take his team's red-hot form for granted going into Wednesday's World Twenty20 semi-final against England. The Kiwis cruised into the last four as the only unbeaten team in the tournament to book a clash with England who seem to be peaking at the right time. "I know that going into tomorrow, it's a big, exciting match but our feet are firmly on the ground and we going to be running to perform our plans as best as we can," the bearded 25-year-old told reporters at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Williamson has displayed the tactical flexibility required to win a major tournament by sacrificing pace and gambling with three spinners, a ploy that paid off in the tournament opener against hosts India.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test played between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG on Friday.
New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra believes adapting to the conditions will be key to success in the Champions Trophy final against India in Dubai.
New Zealand will go into the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka needing 257 runs for victory with nine wickets in hand.
Black Caps can only improve by lifting the title in Melbourne next month.
Tendulkar said Indian batters were forced to play big shots as they were not given easy singles by New Zealand and the bowlers lacked penetration while defending a low total of 110.
Ross Taylor's fluent 66 lifted New Zealand to 153 for four in reply to England's 232 on a fluctuating second day of the first test at Lord's on Friday.
'It is one of those things that every day, often, you are having small conversations about it'
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Auckland, on Thursday.
Chasing a record 468 for victory, New Zealand were teetering at 31 for two at the break with Tom Latham 10 not out and Ross Taylor unbeaten on five. Images from Day 4 of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth on Sunday.
New Zealand fast bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult ensured their side remained in charge of the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka on Monday, reducing the home side to 43 for three at the close.
Tim Southee, once half of the most feared new-ball partnership in the game, brought down the curtain on a glittering 16-year Test career after New Zealand crushed England for a consolation win in Hamilton on Tuesday.
India has only minor concerns, but New Zealand's troubles across batting and bowling departments are more pronounced.
Images from the Indian Premier League 10 match played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils on Wednesday
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes Tom Latham will be the key batter for New Zealand in the ongoing first Test match in Kanpur on Thursday.
India and New Zealand will lock horns in the finals of WTC at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Given the Indian batting line-up's weakness against swinging deliveries, New Zealand could go in with an all-pace attack with the pitch likely to offer pace and bounce.
Kane Williamson coolly struck a straight six to give New Zealand a one wicket victory over Australia in a dramatic battle between the World Cup hosts at Eden Park on Saturday.
Images from the third day's play of the second Test between India and New Zealand being played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor mastered a lifeless England attack to lift New Zealand to 303 for two at the close on the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Friday.
Bangladesh put in a disciplined performance in the field to restrict New Zealand to 145-8 in a World Twenty20 Super 10 stage match at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Uncapped opening batsman Jeet Raval has been named in New Zealand's Test squad for their tour of southern Africa in August, New Zealand Cricket said on Friday.
When the final Test at the Narendra Modi stadium ended in a draw on Monday evening, there was bon homie, with gifts like cricket bats and jerseys being passed around.
Devon Conway scored a half-century to guide New Zealand to a seven-run victory over South Africa in a rain-affected World Cup warm-up game on Monday.
Pakistan's bowlers showed controlled aggression and intelligence to skittle out New Zealand for 153 on day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
'It's obviously a great challenge that's ahead and I guess it's something to look forward to.'
Kane Williamson fought hard to establish his innings before cashing in during the final session to lead New Zealand to 177 for three at close of play on the second day of the first test against South Africa on Thursday.
The WTC final presents the Black Caps with another opportunity to become world champions and if all falls into place, nothing can stop them go for glory.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
Images from Day 2 of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Saturday.
Stead said about Kane that he is a batter who rises for big occasions, calling him a "special player".
After Ben Stokes enforced a follow on, New Zealand left the England bowlers frustrated on Day 3 of the second Test in Wellington.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine has apologised to New Zealand for writing the Black Caps off before their World Test Championship triumph against India.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra picked up his second five-wicket haul in one-day internationals as India skittled New Zealand for 79 to win the final match by 190 runs in Visakhapatnam on Saturday for a 3-2 series victory.
South Africa slid to 105 for six on the third day of the second and final test against New Zealand on Monday but were still firmly in command at Centurion, holding a 372-run lead. After bowling the Kiwis out for 214, the hosts did not enforce the follow-on as the pitch is getting more and more difficult for the batsmen. New Zealand's bowlers took six wickets in the last session of the day with only stand-in opener Quinton de Kock (50) offering any resistance as Stephen Cook, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, captain Faf du Plessis and Stiaan van Zyl went cheaply.
Australia's ODI World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins was named as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad for IPL 2024.
Latham also reminded his team not to lose focus on the second Test amid the revelries after winning the first match, as India has the firepower in its ranks to hit back.
Captain Brendon McCullum's blistering double hundred and a record 297-run stand with centurion Kane Williamson put New Zealand firmly in control of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Saturday.
It was a stunning turnaround for an Australia team which had lost five T20 series on the trot heading into the World Cup.
Images from Day 6 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Wednesday.
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