Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that Australia’s brilliant record in knockout matches has made them favourites over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2021 final. Both teams will lock horns in the title clash on Sunday night at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Australia and New Zealand have played against each other 18 times in ICC tournaments, where Australia has won 12. They have also won 20 of their 31 ICC knockout games as well, including five Cricket World Cup and two Champions Trophy finals too. Sunil Gavaskar told Sports Today on the eve of the final:
“It definitely does (whether the superior record gives a psychological advantage). When you have won more often than you have lost, you just enter the field feeling that come what may, you will be able to turn it around. The Australians, I think they are on a roll, they have got the momentum. In the knockouts, it’s not against New Zealand but against most teams that they have an unbelievable record. They will fancy their chances of claiming this ICC T20 cup for the first time.”
Sunil Gavaskar further added that after wicketkeeper-batsman Devon Conway’s injury, the situation is in favour of Australia. Incidentally, the Kiwi batsman suffered a freakish injury during the semi-final after hitting his bat in anguish.
“If Devon Conway was fit, maybe I would have said 50-50. But with Devon Conway not there, a new person coming in who hasn’t played after the first match, Tim Seifert, it’s not going to be easy for New Zealand. And like I said, Australia’s record in knockouts is awesome,” the veteran added.
Both Australia and New Zealand have finished second in their respective groups by winning four out of five matches and beat stronger the opponents successfully in the two semi-finals by five wickets and an over in hand respectively.
“That’s the way he knows to play” – Sunil Gavaskar on David Warner’s attacking brand of cricket
Most T20 runs in World Cup innings where SR was 150+
642: Chris Gayle
521: Mahela Jayawardene
421: David Warner*
419: Kevin Pietersen
402: Rohit Sharma
401: Shane Watson#T20WorldCup #DavidWarner— ComeOn Cricket 🏏🇮🇳 (@ComeOnCricket) November 13, 2021
However, Sunil Gavaskar also said that the pressure of a big final won’t affect David Warner’s aggressive approach. He believes Australia will give a free hand to David Warner, who has done well in the semi.
“That’s the way he knows to play. He isn’t much about defending the ball in any form of the game. Even in Test cricket, he looks to take the attack to the opposition and more often than not he has succeeded. That’s why he has been such a wonderful player for Australia in all three formats of the game.
I don’t think he’s going to change his approach. He might get out and the Australians will allow him that. They know that if he gets going he’s going to take the game away. So they’ll allow him to play the game he knows best and that is to go after the bowling straightaway,” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.
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