While Abhishek Sharma has been terrorising bowling attacks across the globe with his explosive batting, veteran New Zealand pacer Matt Henry remains unfazed. Despite Abhishek Sharma's reputation of wreaking havoc on the bowlers, Henry relies on a straightforward tactical approach to neutralise the threat heading into the fifth T20I on January 31. His strategy centers on maintaining relentless accuracy to keep the young Indian opener under constant pressure.
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Matt Henry isn't worried about 'Abhishek Sharma' threat
This disciplined philosophy has already proven successful on the big stage. During the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam, Henry famously dismissed Abhishek for a golden duck. That early breakthrough was a turning point for the Kiwis, providing the necessary momentum to secure a dominant 50-run victory and proving that even the most aggressive hitters can be contained by precision.
"He's been playing brilliantly over the last two years and he's been taking to attacks, not just in international cricket but in IPL as well. I think for us it's just about how you're putting him under pressure. It's challenging from a bowling point of view but the key thing is how do you come back when you have a mixed over, how do you have an impact on the game and not worry about those things? I think it all comes back down to accuracy. You have to be accurate at what you're doing and you're just trying to put your best foot forward," Henry said in the pre-match press conference.
Matt Henry is optimistic that New Zealand’s recent stints on Indian soil will serve as a vital advantage. He believes that the firsthand experience gained from navigating the unique subcontinental conditions will provide the squad with the necessary edge to adapt quickly during high-stakes matches.
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For me, T20 cricket is about confidence: Matt Henry
Looking ahead to the upcoming T20 World Cup, Henry views this familiarity as a cornerstone of their preparation. By leveraging their understanding of local pitches and environments, the Kiwis hope to translate their past performances into a successful championship run.
"For me, T20 cricket is about confidence...how do you keep coming back and challenging batters when you're under pressure? How do you find a way to make it work? But if you keep turning up, you keep learning and I think that's probably a highlight of this series for us. It's never nice being put under that kind of pressure but we knew that the long-term picture was getting prepared for a World Cup and how do you put teams under pressure when they're flying like that.
"So, it was all positive gains from our point of view and we're just really pleased that the guys could still stay confident going into that last game. I think that is a true testament of character of the group," Henry concluded.