New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that missing pacer Matt Henry was a significant setback in their four-wicket loss to India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 9. Henry, who had been the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 16.70, was ruled out of the final after failing to clear a fitness test.
The right-arm pacer injured his shoulder while taking a catch in the semi-final against South Africa and couldn’t recover in time for the summit clash. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Santner acknowledged Henry’s impact and how his unavailability hurt New Zealand’s plans.
“He was the leading wicket-taker coming into this game, and he’s an outstanding bowler, as we’ve seen. He has this knack of making the ball move on surfaces where others struggle. We certainly missed that today,” Mitchell Santner admitted.
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Santner also expressed sympathy for Henry, who was devastated to miss such a crucial encounter. “I feel for Matty. He’s a massive team man, and he looked pretty distraught. We told him that we’d try to do it for him. To come all this way and miss the final due to injury is really tough. He tried everything to be fit, but unfortunately, he wasn’t quite there,” he added.
New Zealand’s Champions Trophy campaign was physically demanding, with the team being the only one to play at all four tournament venues, unlike India, which played all five of its matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Injuries also troubled the Kiwis, with key players battling fitness concerns.
Rachin Ravindra, who won the Player of the Tournament award, had suffered a forehead injury in the tri-series in Pakistan just before the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Kyle Jamieson was a last-minute replacement for Lockie Ferguson, who was ruled out due to an injury sustained in the ILT20.
Santner acknowledged that such setbacks are part of international tournaments but praised his team’s resilience.
“These tournaments rarely go perfectly, especially with the tight scheduling. But I’m proud of how different players stepped up when needed,” he said.
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He also lauded the contributions of players who had to adjust quickly. “Rachin came back strong after his head knock, and Kyle Jamieson, who was flown in late, bowled exceptionally well in the games he played. It speaks volumes about the character of this team,” Mitchell Santner concluded.
