“Hopefully, we can hear a pin drop and a bit of silence” – Mitchell Santner on facing India in semi final of World Cup 2023.

New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner is gearing up for a pivotal showdown against India in the 2023 World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Santner expressed his desire to experience a profound silence, akin to a pin drop, at the iconic venue, emphasizing the significance of taking wickets as the primary strategy to curb India’s formidable batting lineup.

As the two cricketing giants prepare to face off again in the semi-final clash on Wednesday in Mumbai, memories of their earlier encounter during the group stages in Dharamsala resurface. In that match, India secured a victory against the Kiwis by four wickets, propelled by a pivotal innings from Virat Kohli, who contributed 95 runs to the cause.

In a recent media interaction, Santner stressed the importance of accurately assessing the pitch conditions and implementing effective measures to restrain Team India’s batting unit. He highlighted the need for the Kiwis to focus on wicket-taking, recognizing it as a key element to prevent India from posting substantial scores.

Santner said “Hopefully we can hear a pin drop and a bit of silence – then we’re obviously doing alright. We’ll have a look at the pitch and see what happens, but we know how destructive their top six, top seven are. It seems like the only way you can kind of slow these guys down is taking wickets up front, so that’s obviously a big part of it.”

Mitchell Santner, has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, delivering economical spells while consistently taking wickets. In nine matches, he has claimed an impressive tally of 16 scalps at an average of 18.25, showcasing his ability to make significant contributions with a commendable economy rate of 3.97.