Kiwis are a marvellously different cricket team

Australian cricket legend Dean Jones had this to say about the differences between cricket in Australia and New Zealand: “When kids in Australia come back home after playing cricket, their dads ask, ‘Did you win?’ But with kids in New Zealand, it’s always ‘Did you have fun?’” This perhaps explains why Kiwis are the perennial nice guys of cricket. Despite being one of the most consistent cricketing sides, Black Caps have always worn their success lightly. They will again feature in a major ICC final tomorrow as they take on India in the 2025 Champions Trophy decider. India, according to pundits, are favourites. But that won’t bother Mitchell Santner and his men – they have always been unassuming underdogs.

Cricketers across generations will affirm that the Kiwis are just impossible to dislike. Recall how they lost out on winning the 2019 ODI World Cup on a ridiculous boundary rule after both they and England got tied scores in normal time and super overs. Any other team would have thrown a hissy fit. But not Kiwis. For them cricket is not only about winning. New Zealand Cricket actually has a nationwide programme called Smash Play Junior-Tamariki for 5-12-year-olds that promotes fun and values such as honesty, camaraderie and mutual support.

Thus, in a cricketing world where winning and commercial interests powerfully, sometimes toxically, combine, it’s lovely to have a team that plays hard but doesn’t take itself too seriously. And as their 2021 World Test Championship victory showed, nice guys don’t always finish last.

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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

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