Gary Stead, Black Caps head coach, has criticized the International Cricket Council after they barred Adam Milne from playing in New Zealand’s opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup against Pakistan. The Black Caps put in a request with the ICC’s technical committee for travelling reserve standby pacer Adam Milne to join their 15-man squad on the morning of their opener against Pakistan in Sharjah, after star seamer Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the tournament with a calf tear.
MRI scans taken just hours before their first game revealed the extent of Lockie Ferguson’s injury, but with Adam Milne having trained with the squad as injury cover, and presenting as a like-for-like replacement for Lockie Ferguson, the Black Caps were hopeful he would get clearance in time to be selected in the starting XI to face Pakistan, the game which they eventually lost.
Gary Stead Tried Hard To Get Adam Milne Against Pakistan Which Didn’t Happen As It May Have Made A Difference To The Game Against Pakistan
The Black Caps applied with an independent doctor’s report to the technical committee, but after initially thinking they had received clearance, word came through 90 minutes before the match that Adam Milne would not be available. Gary Stead was disappointed by the process and felt Adam Milne could have made a difference in his side’s five-wicket defeat to Pakistan.
“We tried pretty hard to get across the line with the ICC our replacement player, but it wasn’t to be. That was really disappointing for us because Adam Milne is someone waiting in the wings as a like-for-like replacement,” said Gary Stead.
“You can’t say you know for sure if it would have made a difference in the game, but for us, on that wicket, pace bowling and hitting the pitch as hard as what Adam does or Lockie does would have been a difference, we think. I think Haris Rauf showed for Pakistan the difference that it can make,” said Gary Stead.
“What we were told is they don’t give clearance on the same day, so we’ll question that reason and continue to seek clarification on that.”
Pakistan were in control of the game ever since they won the toss and chose to bowl. Eleven of the 20 overs they bowled went for six runs or fewer. Haris Rauf began the game with a 149 kph yorker that literally took Martin Guptill out of the game. Three of his four wickets came through slower deliveries. It was a sign of his evolution and an understanding of the conditions in Sharjah.
Gary Stead: New Zealand Weren’t Going To Play Ish Sodhi For Pitch Assisting Seamers More
The lack of clarity had an impact on team selection, with the Black Caps initially planning to play Mitchell Santner as their only spinner, leaving out leg spinner Ish Sodhi in favour of a seam-heavy attack.
“You always plan to have the changes like this, the most unsettling thing for us is we probably changed the team three times today on that decision. Originally we thought we’d got the clearance for Adam to play, but then it’s been turned down. So we were questioning it with the ICC as much as an hour and a half out from the game and arriving there.”
Adding to Gary Stead’s frustration, the clearance for Adam Milne to play came through 40 minutes after the match concluded, and he indicated that Adam Milne would come right into the starting XI for what is looming as a crucial clash against India on Monday morning.
“When you look at how we structure our side, we always try to have that pace dominance where we can, and we certainly lacked that.”
The Black Caps training staff will also be keeping a close eye on Martin Guptill over the next few days, with the opener suffering a toe injury when batting, and later having to come off the field in the second innings. Gary Stead noted the 35-year-old was in discomfort after the game but was hopeful he’d improve overnight.
Pakistan 135 for 5 (Rizwan 33, Asif 27*, Sodhi 2-29) beat New Zealand 134 for 8 (Mitchell 27, Rauf 4-22) by five wickets