T20 World Cup: Ravichandran Ashwin Backs Aaron Finch-Led Australia to Win Final Against New Zealand

Judging by their past record, Ashwin believes they will come out on top in the Final.

New Delhi: India off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin will be betting on Aaron Finch and co as Australia take on New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman T20 World Cup Final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Ravi Ashwin picked up 6 wickets in this year’s edition of the T20 World Cup as Virat Kohli-led India bowed out from the Group Stage of the tournament.

While speaking at his YouTube Channel, Ashwin believes that Australia will be favourites going into the final and considering the past contests between the two sides in recent history, the Aussies have always come out on top in battles of such magnitude.

” 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 told.

Barring the 2010 T20 World Cup Final in the West Indies, the Delhi Capitals bowler believes that Australia has been the team to beat in ICC events ever since.

”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.

Kane Williamson and co will be missing the services of Devon Conway in the Final due to an injury. The India international compares the Kiwi batsman to India great and current head coach Rahul Dravid who played a similar role back in 2003 World Cup as keeper and batsman and concluded that it will be a big blow for the current World Test Champions.

”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,” Ashwin said.