The teams from down under New Zealand and Australia would battle out for a new winner of T20 world cup 2021 at Dubai International Stadium this evening.
New Zealand in the recent past won the red ball test Championship getting the best of India. They also finished close second to England in 2019 ODI Championship. Australia has not gone that far after winning the ODI world cup beating New Zealand at MCG in 2015. New Zealand finished second to Pakistan in the Super 12 from group B. Australia was lucky to scrap through from the group of death just behind England. Final is a battle on nerves and both teams have skill, technique and temperament for doing that.
Hardly any Cricket Pundits predicted that two teams from down under would battle out T20 world cup final at UAE. Few thought New Zealand would be among the top four. But none thought Australia would be there. T20 was never their forte. Moreover, Australia was going through a very lean period in their cricket. They looked terribly out of form when a depleted team lost series in West Indies and Bangladesh only few weeks before the tournament started. New Zealand off course is a form side. But UAE being the venue India, England and West Indies were thought firm favorites.
We know strange things happen in cricket and stranger things happened this year in T20 world championship. First Pakistan blowing out hot favorites India tilted the balance and then Australia surprising all moved into the semifinal first and then having business as usual win over Pakistan moved to the final. New Zealand off course apart from rocked over by Pakistan moved to the semifinals. Their win against firm favorites England was the revenge of ODI loss of 2019.
Now the two teams from down under is meeting this evening in Dubai for the title, which would be the first for either of the team. History favors Australia. But in cricket history is not always repeated. It is expected to be a mouth-watering contest of the two evenly matched teams. Our head goes for Australia being Australians but heart goes for New Zealand.
Australia (probable) David Warner, Aaron Finch (Capt.), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (Wicket Keeper) Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazelwood
New Zealand (probable) Martin Guptill, Daryll Mitchell, Kane Williamson, Tim Seifert (Wicket Keeper, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi
New Zealand went into the final playing very smart cricket against England in the seminal. Australia can thank their luck for that as they narrowly prevailed over Pakistan. Both teams have excellent bowling attack and good enough batting strength to match each other. There is nothing much to choose between Boult, Southee & Mline and Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins. Stoinis and Marsh adds varieties to Aussie pace attack while Santner and Ish Sodhi would have a little edge over Adam Zampa being the lone Aussie spinner. Both teams are sharp and agile in the field.
In batting I would think New Zealand is a bit ahead even without Devon Conway. Guptill and Mitchell look in better consistent form than Flinch and Warner. Williamson and Smith are big occasion players. Much would depend on how they bat. One cannot expect that Wade and Stoinis would deliver in all matches. Phillips and Neesham won few matches.
Toss can be an important factor. In recent times teams chasing have own more matches. But in the pressure cooker like situation team putting a score on board would be psychologically in better position. Let us all be ready to herald a new champion of T20 world cup tonight.
BDST: 1200 HRS, NOV 14, 2021
SMS
