Australia Test captain Tim Paine has come out and issued an apology to New Zealand fans for his prediction that India would “pretty comfortably” win the WTC final.

Paine had predicted after New Zealand’s series win against England that India were still favourites to win the WTC final, telling Cricket.com.au that they would do it “pretty comfortably if they play anywhere near their best”.

After New Zealand claimed victory, plenty of people poked fun at Paine’s prediction on social media, with the Australia skipper apologising to to the Blackcaps for underestimating them while speaking on Sportstalk, a New Zealand radio show.

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— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) June 23, 2021

“We all get some wrong,” he said. “I’ve got some from the Kiwi fans. So I thought when I got the opportunity, why not come on air and eat a bit of humble pie? I thought the New Zealanders played outstandingly and I’m the one with egg on my face, which is brilliant.”

Praising New Zealand for the quality in their line-up, Paine compared his own background as a Tasmania player to that of New Zealand’s.

“I think it’s always a pleasure to watch them go about it,” he said. “They are such a small nation, I am pretty similar in that I play state cricket here in Tasmania, which is obviously our smallest resource. We punch above our weight, so I certainly respect what the Kiwis do on an international stage.

“They have done terrifically well under Kane [Williamson] and obviously they have improved since we played them a year and a half ago. They have added Kyle Jamieson, who on day five or day six was outstanding and they called the opening batter Devon Conway into the side as well. They keep finding these really good cricketers.”

Although Australia beat New Zealand 3-0 in the WTC cycle, Paine felt the Blackcaps side were a much improved unit with the addition of Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway.

“I thought that series we were at the absolute top of our game,” Paine said. “We haven’t since been able to hit those heights in the last 12 months. Our best players were on fire. We were also obviously playing in our conditions where we are comfortable in. It helps when you are playing at home. But, as I said, that changes I think when you put a big, tall fast bowler in there in Jamieson, who rarely misses his length, complemented by Tim Southee and Trent Boult. I think the height [Jamieson] comes down from is troubling batsmen around the world. Conway has come into all formats and done extremely well for New Zealand. You get off to a good start at the top and then there’s Williamson, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls… they keep coming.”

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