ICC T20 World Cup 2026 | War and Games: With one eye on middle-east crisis, Santner ready to break a billion hearts

Ahmedabad: Mitchell Santner doesn't ooze intensity like some of the modern day captains do. Neither is he the quintessential 'Funny Man', whose smart one-liners would bring the house down.

But in his own inimitable way, the New Zealand captain was ready to answer every question that came his way, including the Iran-US conflict that has effectively shut down the middle-east airspace and the obvious one, like Pat Cummins in 2023, he also wouldn't mind hearing the sound of crushing hearts.

How much of a relevance does winning a T20 World Cup final when human lives are on line due to West Asia crisis? "It's a hard one to avoid or not see because it is, you know, everywhere and it's obviously a pretty tough situation. Obviously people at the World Cup have been affected as well," Santner said, not avoiding the sensitive question as some of his contemporary international captains would.

West Indies and England teams are still held up in Kolkata and Mumbai respectively due to shutdown of Dubai airspace and Santner can feel how anxious some of the fellow cricketers from opposition countries are.

He accepted that it is difficult to just focus on a sporting finale when people are unable to go back home but that's their present job in hand.

"Guys not being able to go home. I think for us, it's, you know, it's trying to just think about what it looks like tomorrow for the game. And then, yeah, it's obviously a challenge to put that out of your mind.

"But I guess for us, it's thinking on, you know, what does tomorrow look like for us against a very, very good Indian team." New Zealand have played five ICC finals in last 11 years and perhaps it is about time that they delete the word second that has eternally stayed ahead of the 'best' whenever they have been in a summit clash.

"We just go out there and do our thing as a unit. It's been no different this time. And again, it's going to be obviously a challenge where everyone knows we're probably not the favourites. But we don't mind. But yeah, I wouldn't mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once," he said matter-of-factly, the smile refusing to leave his face.

He didn't for once try to be politically correct by saying that it is just another game.

"It's easy to say it's just another game, but everyone knows it's probably not. The way you go about it has to be the same, whether it's your preparation, what that looks like on the day, leading up to the game."

T20 cricket is all about moments and he would want his men to seize them.

"It always comes down to a couple of moments, especially in T20 cricket, where if you can squeeze the opposition or take the advantage through there. I think we saw the other night."

The word ruthless might not be associated with New Zealand but on Sunday, Santner won't mind being tough on opposition.

"If you can be very consistent in the way you approach the game, with bearing a couple of moments where you could potentially be a little bit more ruthless," he said.

"But I don't think you have to reinvent the wheel," he added.