Team news aside, Chapman said batting in Sri Lanka – they play all three Super Eight games at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo – was more about “running hard” as much as it was about the sixes. In tournament play where fatigue of constant travel is a real problem, Chapman viewed this stability as a massive tactical win too.
“When you play in these tournaments, one of the challenges is hopping from venue to venue and adapting,” Chapman said of their Super Eight opener against Pakistan on Saturday. “Playing all three games here, we’ll learn each game as we go.”
While the toss remains a looming factor, especially with the potential for evening dew, the Black Caps are banking on their collective memory to bridge the gap of not having played in Sri Lanka yet this tour.
The transition from India’s “red soil” pitches, where the ball comes on better to the bat, to the slower Sri Lankan tracks requires a complete recalibration. In India, the strategy was simple – target the straight boundaries. In Sri Lanka, Chapman says, finesse had a place too.
“I think here especially, given the slower nature of the pitch along with the slightly bigger boundaries as well, you have to certainly change your game plan,” he said. “For me personally, batting in the middle I could be in the powerplay or in with very few overs to go. So specifically against the spinners it’s probably [about] looking at different options around whether you employ a sweep shot more or a reverse sweep. Whereas in India, where it doesn’t spin as much, you can look to target the straight boundaries a little bit more.
“And obviously there’s big pockets here too, so it’s not all about sixes on this ground. Lots of twos, lots of fours – and running hard between the wickets is really important as well, particularly if it’s not a very high score.”
“He has a pretty unique action with the way that he stops at the crease, so that’s something to factor in,” Chapman admitted. However, he pointed to the frequent history between the two nations as an equaliser. “Pakistan is one of the teams we’ve played probably the most frequently over the last few years. We’re well aware of what they’re going to bring.”
Addressing critiques that New Zealand’s bowlers have been “leaking runs” in previous stages, Chapman was quick to defend his teammates. He attributed the high scores to the batting-friendly conditions in India, where scores of 200 were becoming the norm.
“The margins have been pretty small [in India]. Here, it’s slightly different with the slower nature of the pitches. The bowlers will hopefully get a chance to really show off their skills.”