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New Zealand are all set to take on Australia in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai on Sunday (November 14) as a new chapter will be written in the Trans-Tasman rivalry.
The Kiwis stunned tournament favorites England with a dazzling display in the first semi-final in Abu Dhabi. After looking down and out in a tough chase, they recovered to complete a memorable victory and book their place in the final.
New Zealand will be featuring in their third straight ICC final across all formats, which is a significant achievement in itself. They finished runners-up in the 2019 World Cup final, going down to England on the boundary count rule. Earlier this year, they defeated India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
How New Zealand can outdo Australia in the T20 World Cup 2021 final
The last time New Zealand and Australia met in an ICC final was during the 2015 World Cup summit clash in Melbourne, where the Aussies registered a crushing win. We look at three things New Zealand can do to gain the advantage over Australia in the T20 World Cup 2021 final.
#1 Dismiss David Warner early
Getting David Warner cheaply might not guarantee New Zealand victory in the T20 World Cup 2021 final. But it will definitely help them put the Aussies under pressure. Warner did not come into the tournament with great form, but the southpaw has lifted himself on the big stage, like great players do.
It was his assault on Pakistan bowlers in the semi-finals that laid the foundation for the chase, which was completed in incredible fashion by Matthew Wade. If New Zealand allow Warner to get off to a good start, they will be on the back foot because, if the the left-hander scores, he will do it at a fast pace.
On the contrary, if New Zealand see the back of Warner early, they can put pressure on the under-performing middle order. Although Australia defeated Pakistan in the second semi-final, they had stumbled to 96 for 5 in the chase before staging a remarkable recovery. This is one area where the Kiwis can target Australia.
#2 Not give too many wickets to Adam Zampa
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has been Australia’s unsung hero of the T20 World Cup 2021. He is the team’s leading wicket-taker and the second leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Zampa has claimed 12 scalps from six matches at a strike rate of 11.5 and an excellent economy rate of 5.69. He even picked up a five-for against Bangladesh in the Super 12 stage, which set up a crushing win for his side.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were expected to be the key wicket-takers for Australia but Zampa has outshone both of them. Right through the tournament, the leg-spinner has come in and dealt the opponents with big blows, thus restricting their momentum.
Even in the semi-finals against Pakistan, he broke the dangerous opening partnership by dismissing Babar Azam with a smart piece of bowling. In the eventual outcome, it was a significant scalp.
New Zealand will have to devise a strategy to not lose too many wickets against Zampa while also ensuring that they do not get stuck.
#3 Play bold cricket
New Zealand are known for their methodical ways. They are completely opposite to someone like England, who believe in going on an all-out attack. The Kiwis are very well aware of their limitations and played around it to outwit the fancied Englishmen in the semi-finals.
As always, they will start as underdogs in the final against Australia. It is no secret that the Aussies are a much more talented and brutal bunch when it comes to the head-to-head comparison. In fact, Australia have never lost to New Zealand in an ICC knockout clash.
To cut down the advantage, New Zealand will have to come up with something different and adventurous to try and catch Australia off-guard. It is not in their nature, as they believe in playing in an organized manner. However, it will be difficult for the Kiwis to upset Australia if they adopt a conservative approach.
In the semi-finals against England, the Kiwis game glimpses that they too can produce bold and attractive cricket. Jimmy Neesham and Daryl Mitchell batted out of their skins to sink England against all odds.
New Zealand will need to come up with something similar against Australia in the final as well. They need to identify a particular area or phase where they can outshine the opponents and maximize their gains.
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