T20 World Cup Final: Brendon McCullum previews New Zealand v Australia

His early wicket was a sign of things to come in the 2015 World Cup final. But, Brendon McCullum is confident the Kiwis can avoid another Aussie onslaught. Here’s how.

The Kiwi colossus whose first over demise triggered a landslide World Cup triumph for Australia has warned New Zealand that Mitchell Starc could again crush their title dreams.

Brendon McCullum decided to come out swinging against Starc in a dramatic first over of the 2015 ODI World Cup final at the MCG, but the all-or-nothing play backfired when he was spectacularly bowled five balls in.

The moment was so seismic it felt like Australia instantly had one hand on the trophy and it illustrated the lethal power of Starc on the game’s biggest stage.

Australia take on New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup final on Monday (1am AEDT) on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

Mitchell Starc topples Brendon McCullum to set the tone for the 2015 World Cup final.

McCullum had taken down countless international attacks with the same fearless strategy and had a couple connected off the middle of the bat all the momentum would have been with New Zealand.

But the champion Black Caps captain met his match that day in Starc and has backed the New Zealand top order led by Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson to play Australia’s left-arm destroyer with a steadier eye in Sunday night’s blockbuster trans-Tasman Cup rematch in Dubai.

“You’ve got one of two options don’t you and you’ve got to choose which one you take,” McCullum told News Corp.

“There might be times to stick and times to push but you’ve got to make a decision and try to make it work.

“If I had my time again, what would I do? I’m not sure exactly. I’m pretty sure I’d try to watch the ball a bit harder and try to swing a little bit further but that’s kind of me.

“I’m sure Guptill and Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson will work out what their game plan is and these guys will be a bit more consistent and a little bit more accurate in their execution.

“But Starc certainly poses a huge threat no doubt.”

Brendon McCullum is castled by Mitch Starc in the 2015 World Cup final.

Starc wheels off in celebration.

Starc also famously decimated England in a 50-over World Cup stoush at Lord’s in 2019 and McCullum said his track record in white ball title fights is unquestioned, even if he hasn’t quite had a lightning bolt moment during this T20 Cup.

But having seen first-hand Starc’s ability to swing a World Cup final on his left arm, McCullum says New Zealand will be ready for the battle.

“Starc is a fast bowler who stands up in big moments. He suffered a bit of tap at the back end of (the semi-final) and they’re playing at the same venue so it depends on how he’s utilised by Aaron Finch, but without doubt he’s a threat,” McCullum said.

“Back to 2015, absolutely he was too good on the day and that’s just how the game works sometimes, it’s just a shame it had to be in the final.

“But that’s what we sign up for when we play in these big games. You have to have a winner and you have to have a loser in those circumstances. I know from a New Zealand point of view they’ll know the threat he possesses and they’ll try to think of ways to be able to counter it.”

New Zealand's Tim Southee.

Trent Boult will pose a big threat for the Aussies.

Not only that, McCullum believes New Zealand has the weaponry in Trent Boult and Tim Southee to also leave Australia’s top order trembling.

Despite Australia’s dominant record against the Black Caps in Test cricket, McCullum is adamant New Zealand – World Test Champions and ODI and T20 World Cup finalists - do not fear Australia in white ball cricket in any way, shape or form.

“New Zealand won’t be too worried about that … I’m not sure they’ll be overly concerned or put Australia up on a pedestal that’s for sure,” McCullum said.

“They’ll worry about their own game. New Zealand has their own threats as well, Trent Boult and Tim Southee have been the standout bowlers of this tournament and have fashioned incredible careers over a long period of time in all three forms of the game.

“In the New Zealand side you’ve got a team which is incredibly well resourced and incredibly well led and they’ve got an innate self-belief which has been developed across all three forms of the game over the last few years and under Kane Williamson’s leadership we’ve seen a team achieve quite remarkable things.

“They won’t stand there and scream and shout about it, they’ll just go about their work and hope to achieve.

“They’ll go into the final big expectations but also realistic that they’ll have to play well to beat a good Australian side, who have played well in the past two games but who certainly have some holes as well.”

WHY AUSSIES ARE ALREADY IN KIWIS’ HEADS

Australia versus New Zealand in Test cricket is the upside down version of Australia versus New Zealand in rugby union.

One side just sort of expects to win and generally does. The other one scrambles and hustles and dreams big but just can‘t seem to cross the great divide which has grand ambitions on one side and victory on the other.

Australia take on New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup final on Monday (1am AEDT) on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

The All Blacks have got Australia‘s number in rugby union while in Test cricket New Zealand, current world champions if you don’t mind, have won just one of their last 31 Tests against Australia stretching back 28 years.

It‘s an extraordinary statistic because Australia are simply not that good nor New Zealand that bad.

Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade celebrate winning their way into the final. Picture: AFP

Already, I hear your protests loud and clear.

Comparing Test records between the two nations, you say, has as much to do with Monday morning‘s T20 World Cup final as your favourite five-star restaurant has with your local Red Rooster.

Perhaps. But it does not change the fact that Australia has always fancied its chances against New Zealand in major matches in all forms of the game and the Kiwis have at times saved their worst for Australia as they did in the 50-over World Cup final in 2015.

It‘s why the T20 World Cup final has an added layer of intrigue. Does Australia still have a mental edge over the Kiwis or is this the big moment when it all changes?

Is this the day when the little brother raises his dukes and lands one on the chin of the brother who always seems to find a way to win those fiercely fought backyard games.

The Kiwis don’t have much to prove to anyone any more. They are world Test champions. They got beaten by a feature in the 50over World Cup. Here they are again in another World Cup final.

Just one question lingers. Can they stare their greatest rivals down when the stakes are white hot?

Certainly they will never be better prepared.

Originally published as T20 World Cup Final: Brendon McCullum previews New Zealand v Australia