While discussion continues around Australia’s failure at the T20 World Cup, India and New Zealand have showed what successful Twenty20 cricket looks like in the modern era ahead of Sunday night’s final.

Playing a major tournament in your own country brings enormous pressure. Every performance is analysed, every decision scrutinised, and every moment amplified by the home crowd.

India have handled that pressure well. They did what strong teams do in big tournaments, they found a way to win against England when it mattered most.

The other semifinal created a different type of discussion. South Africa’s defeat to New Zealand quickly triggered the usual flood of commentary online. The term “chokers” once again started circulating, along with memes questioning whether the Proteas’ recent World Test Championship success might have been an anomaly.

Whether that label is fair or not, the psychological weight of past results is something teams carry with them. From the outside it does appear that South Africa are still battling that narrative, and it’s something rival teams will always look to exploit.

New Zealand, meanwhile, have continued to do what they’ve done for years - quietly play very good cricket.

They might not always attract the biggest headlines, but they consistently tick every box. Their batting is organised, their bowling plans work, and their fielding standards have been outstanding for a long time.

Fielding in particular has become a hallmark of Kiwi sides. In tight T20 contests, saving 10 or 15 runs in the field can often make the difference between winning and losing.

Looking at India’s run to the final also highlights something else, the strength of their domestic T20 structure.

The Indian Premier League has invested enormous time, energy and money into developing the format. That investment has happened both on and off the field, and tournaments like this show the results of that commitment.

I recently touched on Australia’s Big Bash League and how Australia failing to reach the Super 8 stage wasn’t a great advertisement for the competition.

India, on the other hand, has demonstrated the strength of their T20 system through performances rather than words.

That’s something Australian cricket historically prided itself on, showing the world how things were done through results on the field and that’s why Australia’s performance this World Cup hurts.

India’s success suggests that the years of building the IPL into a global powerhouse have paid off. The depth, experience and confidence of their players reflect that environment.

Even if they were to fall short in the final, the broader message has already been delivered. India have proven that their T20 structure works.

That said, writing off New Zealand would be a mistake.

They are a team that understands its strengths. They rarely get carried away by the occasion, and they stick to their plans. In many ways, that clarity has been their greatest asset over the past decade.

The big question for them will be whether the atmosphere and scale of a World Cup final in India become overwhelming. It has happened to teams before.

But this New Zealand group looks composed, confident and well organised. They have all facets of the game covered - batting depth, disciplined bowling and excellent fielding- and that combination gives them a genuine chance.

Still, playing India in a World Cup final on home soil is one of the toughest challenges in world cricket.

India will be determined not only to win the trophy but to reinforce their position as the dominant force in T20 cricket.

It promises to be a fascinating final. And as we’ve seen throughout this tournament, in T20 cricket, anything can happen.