"I think Australia are favourites" - Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of T20 World Cup 2021 final

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Australia to beat New Zealand in the final of the 2021 T20 World Cup later today in Dubai.

Ashwin said Australia have had the upper hand in recent battles between the two teams, which gives them an edge.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:

"I think Australia are favourites going into this contest. Australia and New Zealand battles over the years have ended up with Australia sort of dominating that contest."

Ashwin also believes Australia's dominance in international tournaments will help them.

"Especially in the white ball game, barring that final in West Indies in the T20 World Cup, when Australia came into the final against England and England trumped them, Australia have been really the team to ace in the ICC World Cup knockouts. I think Australia hold the edge with the familiarity they have with the big stage and also the way they play against New Zealand," he said.

Ashwin opined that Devon Conway, who is unavailable for the final after breaking his hand during the semi-final against England, will be a big miss for New Zealand.

Ashwin said on Conway:

"Devon Conway is one of those quiet heroes for New Zealand, who has walked in at No.3 or No.4 as the team has demanded of him, has done the keeping role, almost like Rahul Dravid, who did the keeping role in the 2003 World Cup for India. A man who has given Kane Williamson a helping hand, he will be missing tonight’s final and that’s a big, big blow for New Zealand."

Ravichandran Ashwin weighs in on double-bounce deliveries

During Australia's T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan, David Warner hit Mohammad Hafeez for a six off a double-bounce no-ball, which became the subject of debate.

Weighing in on the incident, Ashwin opined that deliveries that pitch twice should not be no-balls as being able to do that is a "skill in itself".

Elaborating on this, he said:

"Before, there used to be a rule that you can bowl two-pitch deliveries, but now that has changed. If you bowl two-pitch deliveries and the second bounce is before the batting crease, then it is called a no-ball. I’m not sure it’s the right call, because if a bowler can pitch the ball twice, that is a skill in itself, so I think that is something that needs to be revisited. But David Warner, of course, had the presence of mind to clean strike that ball and sort of shift the momentum in the Aussies’ way."

Australia and New Zealand will face off at the Dubai International Stadium today, with both teams looking to win their maiden T20 World Cup title.