Ricky Ponting praises New Zealand's 'self-coaching' culture in ICC knockouts
What's the story
As New Zealand gear up for their fourth ICC Men's T20 World Cup semifinal, Ricky Ponting has highlighted the importance of their strong cricketing culture. He believes it is a key factor in their consistent performance on big stages. Notably, the Kiwis will play their seventh ICC knockout match since 2021, when they played the T20 World Cup final against Australia. The first semifinal will see New Zealand take on South Africa at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
Team dynamics
Ponting on New Zealand's unique bond
In a recent interview with Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, Ponting spoke about the unique bond among New Zealand players. He said, "One thing I've sort of noticed with the Kiwi boys is this year at MLC, I had four or five of them together, and because they're from such a small cricketing nation, they end up playing a lot of cricket together in the same teams."
Player autonomy
Self-coaching in international games
Ponting also stressed that this familiarity among players allows them to coach each other. He said, "Quite often, they don't need coaches coming along and telling them what to do. You'll watch them walk away to the side of the nets. They'll have little discussions about their own game." This self-coaching is something he believes the Black Caps bring into their international team dynamic.
Tournament prowess
Consistent performance in major tournaments
Ponting also praised New Zealand's consistent performance in major tournaments, which shows their preparation for the big stage. He said, "You read through the side, and you look at their side on paper, maybe compared to some others, and you think they'll be close, but surely they're not going to make it through to the semifinal stage. But they do."
Expert opinion
Preparation and never-give-up attitude
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also agreed with Ponting, emphasizing New Zealand's detailed preparation. He said, "I think their preparation is incredibly detailed. Where they study each player, which bowlers should bowl, when to a particular batsman." Shastri added that New Zealand never gives an inch on the field and can quickly turn the tide in their favor. Shastri also highlighted NZ's batting resilience, saying even if they lose wickets early, someone always steps up to build a partnership.
Journey
NZ's journey to 2026 T20 WC semis
New Zealand, who have a knack for doing well in ICC events despite not starting as favorites, have qualified for their fifth T20 WC semifinals. Only India, Pakistan, and England have made it to the top four on more occasions (6 each). In 2026, New Zealand finished second in their group with three wins and a loss to SA. They easily beat Sri Lanka but lost to England, while their game against Pakistan was washed out.