"Rematch of last year's final" - Tim Southee on playing Australia in T20 World Cup opener

New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee is looking forward to the clash against defending champions Australia in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup opener. The Blackcaps will face Aaron Finch and Co. at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, October 22.

New Zealand will play Australia for the first time in a T20I match since the two clashed in the final of the 2021 T20 World in Dubai. Australia defeated their trans-Tasman neighbors by eight wickets to win their first world title in the shortest format.

While reflecting on his thoughts on facing the reigning champions in the opening game of the showpiece T20 event, Southee said in a video uploaded by Revsportz on their YouTube channel:

"It's a great way to start. Rematch of last year's final and to play against Australia at the SCG in front of a sold-out crowd is a pretty good way to start the tournament."

"Great for the side to get together" - Tim Southee on the tri-series involving Pakistan and Bangladesh

New Zealand hosted two Asian teams, Pakistan and Bangladesh, in the tri-nation series before landing in Australia. The hosts topped the points table at the end of the league stage but lost to Pakistan in the final by five wickets.

Kane Williamson and Co. suffered a defeat to South Africa in their first warm-up fixture in Brisbane, where their second game against India was abandoned because of rain showers.

Southee said that matches in the tri-series were potent for the team in the build-up to the showpiece event. The veteran pacer added:

"Yeah, it was nice to get out a couple of times. The rain obviously yesterday…. We couldn't play against India. It would have been a great game for us leading into this World Cup. The guys have been playing plenty of cricket and looking forward to now in Sydney.

"To play those T20 Internationals against Pakistan and Bangladesh was, I think, great for the side to get together first and foremost and play some cricket."

New Zealand have managed to reach the semi-finals three times (2007, 2016 and 2021) and their only appearance in the final came in the last edition.

Mentioning how the young players are excited to take the field, Southee said:

"Yeah, a lot of guys are back from the last World Cup since and it's strange having it 12 months on. Obviously, it's (T20 World Cup) something you see every two years, but they're the guys experienced."

He added:

"The World Cup last year was great and we have a couple of new excited players in Finn Allen and Michael Bracewell. And obviously, Lockie Ferguson is fit and ready for the game."

New Zealand will also lock horns with England, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and another qualifying team in Group 1 of the Super 12 stage.