Simon Doull gives epic MS Dhoni reference as Daryl Mitchell guides New Zealand to thrilling win vs England in semifinal
Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull spoke about Daryl Mitchell's knock and how it reminded him of something MS Dhoni once told him about finishing the game.
Except ardent cricket fans and followers, Daryll Mitchell isn't a name that the world would have been familiar with prior to the T20 World Cup. But on Wednesday, that changed as the 30-year-old played a solid knock to win the T20 World Cup semi-final for New Zealand as the BlackCaps stormed to their maiden T20 WC final.
Mitchell, opening the innings saw his opening partner Martin Guptill and skipper Kane Williamson perish cheaply, leaving New Zealand in trouble at 13/2. But the batter was fiercely determined to not give his wicket away as he stitched a couple of match-winning partnerships, first with Dev Convey and later with Jimmy Neesham to guide New Zealand to a thrilling win.
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As the match neared its finish, former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull, while doing commentary, spoke about Mitchell's knock and how it reminded him of something MS Dhoni said to him about finishing the game. Recalling the former India captain's world, Doull said the following on air.
"The great MS Dhoni, the great finisher… once said to me that the longer you bat and the deeper you take the game, the more worried is the opposition and its bowler. That has what Daryl Mitchell has done here tonight. He saw the first two New Zealand wickets go down cheaply but ensured he batted through, and here is… taking his team closer to a place in the final," said Doull.
With New Zealand needing 56 from the last over, Neesham tucked into Chris Jordan, smoking him for two sixes and a four to make it a 23-run over, narrowing the equation down to 34 off 18. Neesham continued his onslaught, drilling two sixes in the next over off Adil Rashid, and although he perished off the last ball, he had done the job.
With two overs left and 20 needed, Mitchell began the over with a couple of runs, before dispatching Chris Woakes over the ropes for back-to-back sixes. Off the last ball of the penultimate over, Mitchell pulled for a four to send the New Zealand dugout into a frenzy. No surprises, he was named the Player of the Match.