The Trans-Tasman rivalry is now the talking point everywhere. And Kevin Pietersen just can't keep himself out of it.

The former England batter, in his column for Betway, picked the winner of the contest, saying, ""New Zealand seem to have all bases covered, but I fancy Australia."

Throwing light on the past encounters between the two, Pietersen wrote, "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."

From reaching back-to-back ODI World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019, to winning the inaugural World Test Championship in June this year, the Black Caps have been one of the most consistent sides in world cricket. But Pietersen fancies the Kangaroos.

"It's a reflection of a lot of hard work, but tomorrow's is a one-off match and for us, it is about trying to make those small adjustments again and keep the focus really close and what it needs to be," Kane Williamson said during a virtual media interaction on the eve of the title clash.

For Williamson’s counterpart Aaron Finch, playing in a Trans-Tasman clash is “bloody exciting”. Reflecting on Australia’s rivalry with New Zealand, “a very much confident” Finch said, “Both teams have got a great history in cricket. Well, not just cricket, but as neighbours, so to speak, Down Under. It’s a great relationship. We play quite a bit against New Zealand now and we always have great battles regardless of the format. So yeah, it’s bloody exciting to be playing against New Zealand."