Santner Warns of ‘Outstanding’ Sri Lanka, Aims for a Strong Performance in Upcoming Match

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is well aware of the tough challenge Sri Lanka will bring into the next match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He is confident that the Black Caps will respond to it adequately, as the team has prepared well to start their Super Eights campaign on a high note.

"It feels like we've had the place to ourselves for a few days. It's been a nice couple of days to reassess and see how everyone is going. But we've watched all the teams in the loop play now. It's going to be good to finally get out there tomorrow." said Mitchel Santner while talking to the reporters.

He then spoke about the challenge of playing in the Super Eights stage, saying that every game is important in this round as teams have very little room to make mistakes.

"Any game in the Super Eight is kind of a knockout. We know that it is for us and the same for Sri Lanka. They'll come out all guns blazing. We'll be doing everything we can to prepare, but also making sure the guys are fresh." said New Zealand captain, Mitchell Santner.

Santner expects spin to play a big role in the upcoming match, as the conditions at Colombo will give him and other NZ spinners an opportunity to put Sri Lankan batters under pressure.

"The wicket against Pakistan [in the washed out game] was used, so I was pretty keen to have a dip on that. This one is a bit fresher, but traditionally it's slower. Chennai didn't do very much and neither did Ahmedabad. We might see a little bit of turn tomorrow, which will be nice." said Mitchell Santner.

Considering the current points table, Mitchell Santner fully understands the importance of this match. He is confident that New Zealand can use the conditions to secure victory, provided they manage the pressure effectively during the different phases of the game.