New Delhi, March 8 (NationPress) Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has shared his insights on the crucial matchup between the reigning champions India and New Zealand, branding the home side as the strong favorites to retain their title, stating, "ICC events have become ingrained in India’s DNA."

India and New Zealand are gearing up to clash in the T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with India poised to achieve a historic third title, while New Zealand seeks its first championship.

"I believe India holds the home advantage. ICC events have now become part of India’s essence; they consistently reach finals or emerge victorious. This transformation in the Indian team has been evident over the past 4–5 years," Latif remarked to IANS on Sunday.

Both sides enter the final following dominant semifinal showings. India narrowly defeated England in a thrilling encounter by seven runs at the Wankhede Stadium, driven by Sanju Samson’s explosive 89 and Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional death bowling.

In contrast, New Zealand shocked an undefeated South Africa in Kolkata, with opener Finn Allen making history with a record-breaking 33-ball century, the fastest in T20 World Cup history, completing a chase of 170 in just 12.5 overs.

"New Zealand is undeniably a formidable team. Their decisive victory over South Africa in the semifinal was truly impressive. That match could easily be considered one of the finest ever witnessed. While India is the favorite, New Zealand has the potential to put up a strong fight, though they may struggle to match India's firepower," he added.

Latif noted that the critical window between the 16th and 18th overs has been a decisive factor in recent matches, where India’s capacity to contain runs has outperformed their rivals, highlighting a significant disparity between India and South Africa, England, and New Zealand, emphasizing India's superior performance in the death overs.

"In my view, the true distinction lies in the final overs. South Africa, New Zealand, and England lacked strong bowling during the death overs, while India excels in this area. Arshdeep has made significant progress and has been given consistent opportunities to bowl in the death overs. In earlier matches, the overs between 16 and 18 proved to be pivotal due to the bowling strategies employed," he explained.

Latif concluded that if Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan ignite their performance in Ahmedabad, New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack could be overwhelmed. However, if the openers falter again, the onus will fall on the death bowlers to rescue the hosts once more.

"New Zealand has performed consistently throughout the tournament. They've faced two defeats, but in T20 cricket, a strong top three is essential, and New Zealand's top three ranks among the best. India also possesses a highly skilled top three.

"Sanju Samson has been thriving at the top, yet the other two haven't been scoring at the expected rate. They are accumulating runs, but not in the manner the team desires. Should Ishan and Abhishek shine in the final, it would be a remarkable boost for India," the former cricketer concluded.