T20 World Cup 2021, The final: Australia Predicted Playing XI against New Zealand

After 44 encounters between 16 teams over a month, it comes down to two teams that have never tasted glory in the shortest format of the game. Australia, ever so successful in ICC tournaments otherwise, have seen that kind of success eluding them in the 20-over World Cup edition after edition, with their best dating back to 2010 when they were denied by England in the grand finale, while New Zealand, who have established their dominance in ODI as well as Test cricket in the last couple of years, will be making their maiden appearance in T20 World Cup final.

Australia Predicted XI against New Zealand

Openers – David Warner, Aaron Finch

Although Aaron Finch has blown slightly hot and cold, David Warner has got back into his elements, with two consecutive crucial knocks. He struck an unbeaten 89 against West Indies to help Australia ease in a moderate chase of 158, while he walked back for 49 against Pakistan believing he edged Shadab Khan when he did not.

Warner is fourth from the top in the leading run-scorer list, with 236 at 47.20 and a strike rate of nearly 150. Finch, who was bamboozled by a Shaheen Afridi inswinger, trapped lbw for a golden duck in the semi-final, has scored 130 runs at 21.66 and an uncharacteristic strike rate of 119.26 despite having gotten a chance to bat during the field restriction against the new ball.

Middle-order – Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade

Perhaps one of the only unticked boxes for Australia this tournament has been Glenn Maxwell being unable to repeat his IPL 2021 proficiency. By his own admission, Maxwell has not got enough time in the middle, although whatever limited opportunities have come his way have been left by him like a James Anderson outswinger in the first session of a Lord’s Test. He laboured his way to 7 off 10 before falling to Shadab Khan while attempting a reverse-sweep in the previous game, while he is yet to cross 18 this tournament.

Steve Smith had a couple of crucial anchoring knocks against South Africa and Sri Lanka before having nothing to do in the games that followed. He fell cheaply, much like most others, when Australia could only set 125 against England, while he was never needed against either Bangladesh or West Indies, much like Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade.

Although, had it not been for the Wade-Stoinis duo in the semi-final, Australia will have had to wait until next year, when they will host the tournament, to have a shot at the elusive T20 World Cup title. Mitchell Marsh has continued to contribute at No. 3, while occasionally chipping in with the ball alongside Stoinis and Maxwell to make up for the fifth bowler.

Bowlers – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

With nine wickets in six games at an average under 21, Mitchell Stac has continued to impress, falsifying the notions that the sluggish track in the desert would not assist his type of bowling. He leaked 38 against Pakistan but struck twice in the death overs. His partner, Pat Cummins, has not been at his wicket-taking best, having picked only five so far, but he has kept his economy under check.

Meanwhile, after two match-winning outings (2/8 against Bangladesh and 4/39 against West Indies), Josh Hazlewood was taken to the cleaners by Pakistan, when he returned wicketless after conceding 49 runs in his quota. Contrastingly, Adam Zampa, the leading wicket-taker in the Super12 stage, with 12 wickets at an economy of 5.69, has made things difficult for the batters throughout the tournament. He got the prized scalp of Babar Azam in the semi-final, recording figures of 1/22.