'When it's do-or-die situation, they just get the job done' - Kevin Pietersen backs Australia to lift maiden T20 World Cup trophy

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has picked Australia as the favorites to lift the T20 World Cup trophy this year. Australia will face New Zealand on November 14 in the decisive clash, and the tournament will get a new winner given neither of these teams have won the T20 World Cup before. Australia came close to winning the tournament in 2010 but ended up as the runners-up, losing to England, while the upcoming one is New Zealand’s maiden final appearance.

Both Australia and New Zealand won four of their five Super12 games before defeating Pakistan and England in the semi-finals respectively to set up a Trans-Tasmanian clash in the all-important final. Coincidentally, both teams ended up winning their respective semi-final clashes by five wickets in a similar style.

If it was James Neesham’s 11-ball 27-run blinder after a calculated knock from opener Daryl Mitchell, who scored unbeaten 72 off just 47, for New Zealand against England on November 10, it was Matthew Wade’s sensational 17-ball 41 alongside the crucial knocks of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis for Australia against Pakistan on November 11.

“New Zealand seem to have all bases covered, but I fancy Australia,’ Pietersen told Betway. “History suggests that when you get these two together in a major final, the Aussies blow the Kiwis away. It’s what happened in the 2015 50-over final in Melbourne. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Australia lift the trophy on Sunday.”

“It’s the Australian way that when it is ‘do or die’, they do. They’ll just get the job done. That’s why they’ve been a formidable opponent for such a long time. If they get themselves into a semi-final of a major tournament, they’ll find something extra.”

“David Warner is a great example of that. People like to cut sportspeople down very quickly after a bad run – and make no mistake, Warner was struggling with Sunrisers Hyderabad during the IPL – but he hasn’t had the success he’s had because he’s a rubbish player,” Pietersen added. “He’s shown his class in this competition when his team needed him most. It’s not a coincidence.”