World Cup 2019 Final: Kane Williamson plays down 'underdog' tag, says 'anyone can beat anyone'

What's the story?

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson claimed that the tag of 'underdog' would not matter as the performance on the day will decide the result. The Kiwi superstar would be leading his team to a World Cup final for the second time in a row against England on 14th July 2019.

In case you didn't know...

Neither New Zealand nor England have lifted the World Cup in their history. England are favourites to become the World champions for the first time as they have beaten India, New Zealand and Australia in the last three matches. On the other hand, New Zealand lost their last three league matches but by beating India in the semifinal, the Kiwis proved that they can beat anyone on their day.

Heart of the matter...

Most critics have labelled New Zealand as the 'underdogs' heading into the final but their captain refused to take the tag seriously. Kane Williamson said that irrespective of the tags, the team which plays better on the day would be crowned world champions.

"Whatever dog we are, the focus is on playing good cricket. Anyone can beat anyone, we've seen that already. Regardless of what breed of dog you are,"

Williamson said, as quoted by India Today.

The Kiwi captain further added that his team is looking forward to the occasion but they are trying not to focus on getting the result. He continued,

"Look, we are really looking forward to the occasion and the endpoint and the result...focussing too much on it, I don't think, is a positive thing."

England captain Eoin Morgan admitted that the match is very important for him and his team. The left-hander pointed out that four years of hard work would be on the line when they play the final.

"It means a huge amount to me and everyone in the dressing room. It's a combination of four years of hard work, dedication and it presents a huge opportunity to win the World Cup. We have had huge backing throughout the tournament,"

Morgan added.

What's next?

The World Cup will see a new winner on Sunday, as both the teams have never been crowned world champions in the past.

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