"We lost the final 10 years ago to England and that hurt" - David Warner after Australia win maiden men's T20 World Cup
David Warner was named Player of the Tournament as Australia romped to their maiden men's T20 World Cup title on Sunday in Dubai. Australia beat New Zealand by eight wickets in the final, with Warner scoring a half-century in their chase of 173.
🎉 Smiles all round as Australia become the champions of the #T20WorldCupFinal
#T20WorldCup | @emirates https://t.co/O7XHxUZjZm
Warner said that the victory tastes as sweet as their triumph in the 2015 World Cup, and added that they were left hurting when they lost the final of the 20-over even in 2010 to England.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Warner said:
"This one is up there with the 2015 World Cup. We lost the final ten years ago to England and that hurt but the women won the Cup and that was great. A lot of credit to these great bunch of guys."
Warner had been in poor form coming into the T20 World Cup, but turned on the heat in the tournament, showing just why he is one of the most revered players in the format.
David Warner - You can never keep this man out of the game 🙌
He is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament and is rightly awarded the player of the tournament for his brilliant performances 👏
#T20WorldCup #Australia #NewZealand #NZvAUS #T20WorldCupFinal https://t.co/DWkXZuLsGG
Warner hit two half-centuries in the Super 12 stage and scored a crucial 49 in the semi-final against Pakistan. In the final, he shone once again, hitting 53 off 28 deliveries.
The southpaw finished the World Cup with 289 runs and was the tournament's second-highest scorer.
Speaking about how he felt coming into the tournament, he said:
"I always felt very good. Two practice matches - I didn't get much time in the middle. Just had to go back to my basics and hit a lot of balls hard. Definitely payed off."
Asked whether he played the match as just another game or was pumped for the big occasion, Warner said:
"I'm always pumped. Just wanted to put on a great spectacle for everyone. Bit of nerves around with a good score on the board. There are always nerves in a final but glad we stepped up."
T20 World Cup 2021: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh help Australia cruise to victory in the final
Mitchell Marsh and David Warner hit half-centuries as Australia chased down 173 with eight wickets to spare in the 2021 T20 World Cup as Kane Williamson's brilliant 85 went in vain for New Zealand.
After Australia captain Aaron Finch won the toss and put New Zealand in, Josh Hazlewood got the early wicket of Daryl Mitchell to stunt the Kiwis' start. Bowling tight lines, Australia did well to restrict their Trans-Tasman rivals to just 57 for 1 in the first 10 overs.
Williamson, however, broke the shackles in the ninth over and started to take on the Aussie bowlers. But he lost Martin Guptill (28 off 35) at the other end to Adam Zampa (1 for 26).
Williamson and Glenn Phillips then put on 50 runs off 26 deliveries, but they both fell in the 18th over to Hazlewood (3 for 16). Williamson ended with 85 off 48 balls, in a knock studded with 10 boundaries and three sixes. Jimmy Neesham (13* off 7) provided the final flourish as New Zealand finished on 172/4.
When Trent Boult had Aaron Finch top-edge a short ball to Daryl Mitchell for the first breakthrough in the third over, New Zealand would have thought they are on course to win their second world title this year. But that was the last bit of joy the Kiwis had in the match.
David Warner and Mitchell Marsh put on a brilliant 92-run second-wicket stand off 59 balls to take the match away from Williamson and Co.
Boult castled Warner in the 13th over for 53 off 38, but Australia were already in a good enough position by then, needing 66 of 46 deliveries.
Man of the Match Marsh (77* off 50) and Glenn Maxwell (28* off 18) then ensured Warner's wicket was just a small bump on their road to victory as they chased down the target with more than an over to spare.