T20 WC: Santner unwell, Jamieson back as Canada ask New Zealand to bowl

Under the bright Chennai sun at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, Canada won the toss and chose to bat against New Zealand in their Group D clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Tuesday, opting to set the tempo on what appeared a promising surface.

Canada skipper Dilpreet Bajwa, reading the pitch with cautious optimism, said the strip looked ideal for batting early, with the promise of spin coming into play as the match wore on. “It looks like a good surface to start on,” he observed, hinting at a tactical plan to post a competitive total and let his spinners weave their craft later in the day. With Kaleem Sana sidelined due to injury, Shivam Sharma was drafted into the XI.

Across the divide, New Zealand arrived with a reshuffled combination. Regular captain Mitchell Santner was rested after falling unwell, while pace spearhead Lockie Ferguson had departed to celebrate the birth of his first child — a moment stand-in skipper Michael Bracewell described as “special news”. In their stead, Kyle Jamieson and Cole McConchie stepped in, offering like-for-like balance to the side.

Bracewell expressed confidence in his team’s familiarity with Chennai’s demanding conditions, noting that several players had prior experience at the venue. “We’ll assess the surface quickly and adapt as the game unfolds,” he said, underscoring New Zealand’s readiness to respond to whatever challenges the day might present.

With both sides adjusting their combinations and the Chepauk pitch promising intrigue, the stage was set for a contest shaped as much by tactical nuance as by flair.

With IANS inputs