Champions Trophy 2017: Kane Williamson reflects on New Zealand's chances

Tags: Champions Trophy 2017, New Zealand, Kane Stuart Williamson

Published on: May 28, 2017

New Zealand cricket team may have not won many high-profile​ tournaments, but they have come close on a number of occasions. They have reached the World Cup semis six times, before finally making it to the finals last year.

New Zealand cricket team may have not won many high-profile​ tournaments, but they have come close on a number of occasions. They have reached the World Cup semis six times, before finally making it to the finals last year. More significantly, they also won the Champions Trophy in 2000.

Speaking on the team's chances this time, captain Kane Williamson told the media, "It is such an interesting tournament because it is such a short tournament. On any given day things can happen that might be out of your control and it can go one way or the other, so we have to hit the ground running.

"It is a very interesting tournament having played in it before and everyone is a real contender so you need to play with freedom, be prepared to take the game and hope things land in your favour," he said.

Williamson admitted New Zealand will face massive challenge from England in their group. "Any time you have those experiences against opponents you are coming up against in similar conditions, it is the same side too, it is only a good thing. But you don't tend to look too much into it in tournaments like this - it is a one-off game and both teams will be playing with freedom and hope it comes off.

"England are playing some very good cricket and it is an improved brand in comparison to what it did in the ICC Cricket World Cup. It is an exciting team to watch it - they will be a threat," he further added.

A number of players from the current squad featured in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League. On it, Williamson explained, "A lot of our guys have been heavily involved in the Indian Premier League and we sent a squad with perhaps 10 guys who are not involved in the Champions Trophy over to Ireland for the tri-Series last week.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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