New Zealand Black Caps fans look to Twenty20 World Cup with hope, trepidation

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Black Caps fans are bracing themselves for an emotional journey when the Twenty20 World Cup begins next month in the United States and West Indies, looking forward to the tournament with a mixture of hope and fatalism.

That mixed outlook, leaning towards pessimism, is based on New Zealand’s experience of cricket's limited-overs World Cups, many of which have taken fans on an emotional roller-coaster before ending in disappointment.

New Zealand reached the final of the 2021 T20 World Cup, losing to Australia in the United Arab Emirates, and the semifinals of the 2016 and 2022 tournaments. The Black Caps reached the final of the 50-overs Cricket World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and the semifinals in 2007, 2011 and 2023.

In total the Black Caps have reached the ICC World Cup semifinals seven times. But New Zealand’s only win in a major limited-overs tournament came at the ICC Knockout Trophy in Kenya in 2000.

Narrow misses over the years have sowed the seeds of pessimism among New Zealand fans. But New Zealand’s competitiveness in world tournaments, including its win in the inaugural World Test Championship, also have nourished hope.

New Zealand has had the ability to assemble rounded squads with depth in all disciplines which is the prerequisite for tournament success.

“When you go to World Cups, you want experience and you want people who know what it’s like,” Black Caps head coach Gary Stead said.

New Zealand has that experience. Its squad will be led by Kane Williamson in his sixth T20 World Cup and fourth as captain. Tim Southee will lead the seam attack in his seventh Twenty20 World Cup, supported by Trent Boult in his fifth.

New Zealand has depth and variety in its spin and seam attacks. The batting lineup also is experienced and deep, featuring both power and grit.

“We’ve got bowlers who provide us with a really varied lineup as well — left-armers, right-armers, spinners who go both ways,” Stead said. “That balance part is important.

“If we play well and play with smarts then hopefully it will be a tournament we can win.”

The one notable omission in the New Zealand squad is that of a specialist wicketkeeper. Stead has chosen not to take wicketkeeper and opening bat Tim Seifert but to delegate the keeping duties to Devon Conway and Finn Allen and, at a pinch, Rachin Ravindra or Glenn Phillips.

That pinch might come at some point as Conway goes into the tournament with a thumb injury and Allen with a recent back injury. Stead is confident both will be fit in time.

Other factors of importance in a world tournament are the conditions and schedule. New Zealand is well placed when it comes to the first; 13 of its squad played in its last tour to the West Indies and six played in the Caribbean Premier League.

It faces Afghanistan in its first match in Guyana and co-host the West Indies in its second, followed by Uganda and Papua New Guinea before the Super 8 stage.

“Afghanistan in Guyana on a wicket that traditionally turns will possibly be a match that will be crucial,” Stead said.

The Afghanistan match begins the journey for Kiwis watching at home mostly in the morning or early afternoon local time. The first step, to reach the Super 8, seems a relatively easy one. But it has been taking the final that has been so difficult in the past.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Chennai Super Kings' Rachin Ravindra plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 18 , 2024. (AP Photo/Kashif Masood)

Delhi Capitals' Jake Fraser-McGurk reacts after getting hurt on a delivery by Rajasthan Royals' Trent Boult during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)