Surrey ke 193 runs ke majboot score ke saamne, Kent ki team 27 runs ke andar hi dher ho gayi, aur iske peeche Santner ka jadoo tha. Unhone teen wickets lekar Kent ke top order ko jhatke diye, jisme Laurie Evans aur Ollie Pope ke shandaar performances ke bawajood unki team haar se na bach saki. Yeh match June 2025 ka ek yaadgaar pal ban gaya, jab Santner ne apni spin se khel ka rukh badal diya, jaise woh aksar international cricket mein karte hain.
Yeh koi nayi baat nahi hai ki Santner pressure mein apna best dete hain. Champions Trophy 2025 ke final mein bhi, jab New Zealand India ke khilaaf khel raha tha, Santner ne apni leadership aur bowling se sabko impress kiya. Unhone 7 wickets liye, jisme unki ek spell ne India ke batsmen ko pareshan kiya tha. Bhale hi New Zealand woh final haar gaya, lekin Santner ka performance unke captaincy ke dum ko dikhata hai. Unki yeh kabiliyat Surrey ke khilaaf bhi dikhi, jahan unhone Kent ke batsmen ko apne jaal mein phasaya, jaise unhone 2016 T20 World Cup mein India ke khilaaf 4/11 ki shandaar spell daali thi.
Surrey ka score 193 tak pahuncha, aur isme Laurie Evans aur Ollie Pope ka bada haath tha. Evans ne apni aggressive batting se Kent ke bowlers ko peeche rakha, jabki Pope ne ek solid foundation diya. Yeh dono players England ke domestic circuit mein hamesha se reliable rahe hain, jaise ke Joe Root aur Ben Stokes international stage par apni consistency ke liye jaane jaate hain. Surrey ka yeh total defendable tha, lekin Santner ke spin ke saamne Kent ke batsmen bilkul bebas nazar aaye. Unki bowling ne yaad dilaya ki kaise Anil Kumble ne 1996 World Cup mein apni googlies se West Indies ko hila diya tha. Santner ka control aur variations unhe aaj ke spinners mein ek alag hi mukaam dete hain.
Lekin yeh jeet New Zealand ke liye ek badi kahani ka hissa nahi ban saki. Santner ke shandaar performance ke bawajood, New Zealand ki team international stage par aksar ek kadam peeche reh jaati hai. Champions Trophy 2025 ke final mein bhi, jab India ke Rohit Sharma ne 76 runs ki shandaar innings kheli, New Zealand ke haathon se jeet nikal gayi. Santner ne khud kaha tha ki unki team shayad 20 runs kam bana saki, aur yeh chhoti si kami unhe bhaari padi. Surrey ke khilaaf Santner ka jadoo chala, lekin Kent ke collapse ke bawajood, New Zealand ke liye consistency ek badi samasya hai, aur yeh unke future matches mein bhi ek chinta ka vishay rahega.
