'For Cricket's Sake' Shoaib Akhtar Wants This Team To Win India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Final
India vs New Zealand - it all boils down to this. After four weeks of gruelling action, the T20 World Cup final will see two familiar rivals face off
- India and New Zealand meet in the T20 World Cup final after four weeks of competition
- India has won the T20 World Cup twice, in 2007 and 2024, while New Zealand finished runners-up in 2021
- "I see India as the winner, but for cricket's sake, it's high time New Zealand won," Shoaib Akhtar said
India vs New Zealand - it all boils down to this. After four weeks of gruelling action, the T20 World Cup final will see two familiar rivals face off. India have won the title twice (2007 and 2024), while New Zealand's best finish came in 2021, when they finished runners-up. However, the manner in which New Zealand destroyed South Africa in the semi-finals does warrant extra attention from India. Pakistan pace great Shoaib Akhtar predicted 200 to be a safe score in Ahmedabad, the venue for the final. He also added that while India are the favourites, "for cricket's sake" New Zealand should win the final.
"If the wicket in Ahmedabad grips and if it's a little favourable for spinners, the par score will be around 200 or 175. A safe score would be 200. Now, will New Zealand be able to score 250 or 225 against India? If they do, India will be under significant pressure. It's also proven that India will come fully prepared," Akhtar said on the Tapmad show Game On Hai.
"I feel New Zealand might be bogged down in front of India, but India also have the pressure of 1.5 billion people. They have already lost a match in the World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad. I see India as the winner out of all this, but for cricket's sake, it's high time New Zealand won this World Cup."
Akhtar's former teammate Umar Gul felt New Zealand will be confident based on their recent performances against India.
"New Zealand's bowling attack appears stronger. India may come under pressure due to its large population. New Zealand recently won a series in India. They have experience with spin tracks, and India may also think that these guys played well against us and defeated us. New Zealand will have confidence. It will be a good final," he added.
On November 19, 2023, the expansive amphitheatre called the Narendra Modi Stadium witnessed a teary-eyed and emotionally spent Rohit Sharma drag himself up the dressing-room stairs after Australia had silenced India in the ODI World Cup final.
The distraught home side and a silent stadium of 93,000 people have carried that burden ever since, even though the T20 team somewhat made amends for that heartbreak by winning the 2024 world title under Rohit.
The shortest-format team will now look to become the first side ever to defend the crown under Suryakumar Yadav and also the first to win the coveted trophy three times.
India Cricket Team
New Zealand Cricket Team