Kevin Pietersen has given his verdict on who he believes will come out on top between Australia and rivals New Zealand to win the T20 World Cup for the first time.
New Zealand booked their spot in the final with a five-wicket win over England, while Australia produced an identical result to triumph over Pakistan the following day.
It is set to be a fascinating final on Sunday afternoon and ahead of it, Pietersen has predicted who he fancies to reign supreme, and it may surprise some.
Speaking to Betway, Pietersen said: "New Zealand seem to have all bases covered, but I fancy Australia. 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."
He was also full of praise for the way Australia seem to be able to "find something extra" in knockout games, citing the resurgence of David Warner as an example.
Warner had been in poor form heading into the World Cup, scoring 2 and 0 in his only appearances in the second half of the IPL and 0 and 1 in Australia's two warm-up games.
However, Warner has since struck two half-centuries at the World Cup and made a crucial 49 in Australia's semi-final win over the previously unbeaten Pakistan.
"It’s the Australian way that when it’s do or die, they do," Pietersen said. "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.
"He’s shown his class in this competition when his team needed him most. It’s not a coincidence."
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