216/4 (20.0)
CR : 10.80
215/3 (20.0)
CR : 10.75
Australia won by 6 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Mitchell Marsh
1/2172(44)
AUS won by 6 wickets
3:03 PM IST, 10:33 PM Local Time: Tim David has snatched a last ball victory for Australia to help the country seize their 3rd highest run chase in the history of T20 international cricket. Batting first after winning the toss, New Zealand posted 215/3 on the board with fifties from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra.
The Kiwi opening bowlers Tim Southee and Adam Milne swung the ball well at the top creating trouble for the Australian top order and after Travis Head's departure Mitchell Marsh and Warner decided to go big in the 5th over attacking and scoring 22 runs against Southee.
Australia were 56/1 at the end of the powerplay. Mitchell Santner removed Warner for 32 in the 7th over with Glenn Maxwell playing a cameo of 25 in 11 balls before being bowled by Lockie Ferguson who was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 1/23 in 4 overs.
Captain Marsh continued the assault and moved to 50 in 29 deliveries. The bowlers got New Zealand back in the game cramping Josh Inglis who failed to get going and scored 20 in 20. Tim David arrived in the 17th over and smashed the bowlers all over the park.
With 16 runs required in the final over, Southee returned to the attack conceding just 4 runs in the first 3 balls but the next ball was smashed out of the park by David taking the requirement down to 4 off 1 ball. He targeted the leg side and found the fence.
Santner picked up 2/42 but was expensive. Ferguson and Adam Milne also got a wicket each but only Ferguson was able to put a lid on the scoring rate. Ish Sodhi conceded 42 in his wicketless spell. He bowled well in patches but was taken out for 3 sixes in his 4 overs.
The teams will face each other on Friday in the 2nd T20I.
The Kiwi opening bowlers Tim Southee and Adam Milne swung the ball well at the top creating trouble for the Australian top order and after Travis Head's departure Mitchell Marsh and Warner decided to go big in the 5th over attacking and scoring 22 runs against Southee.
Australia were 56/1 at the end of the powerplay. Mitchell Santner removed Warner for 32 in the 7th over with Glenn Maxwell playing a cameo of 25 in 11 balls before being bowled by Lockie Ferguson who was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 1/23 in 4 overs.
Captain Marsh continued the assault and moved to 50 in 29 deliveries. The bowlers got New Zealand back in the game cramping Josh Inglis who failed to get going and scored 20 in 20. Tim David arrived in the 17th over and smashed the bowlers all over the park.
With 16 runs required in the final over, Southee returned to the attack conceding just 4 runs in the first 3 balls but the next ball was smashed out of the park by David taking the requirement down to 4 off 1 ball. He targeted the leg side and found the fence.
Santner picked up 2/42 but was expensive. Ferguson and Adam Milne also got a wicket each but only Ferguson was able to put a lid on the scoring rate. Ish Sodhi conceded 42 in his wicketless spell. He bowled well in patches but was taken out for 3 sixes in his 4 overs.
The teams will face each other on Friday in the 2nd T20I.
Player of the Match: Mitchell Marsh
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain): "Yeah. I mean, the way kind of Tim David came out straight away and struck it, you know, I thought we didn't bowl too bad, but, you know, the power they possess all the way down is, I guess the reason why they're pretty good.
It's obviously a pretty good score, but I guess we know that they keep coming with the bat and I guess the only way to stop them is to take wickets. And I guess we didn't really do that today, but, yeah, it was a hell of a game of cricket and we just got to reflect and move on.
I guess you pick five bowlers to do a job and that's their job, I guess, but, yeah, I mean, trying to find a way to slow them down. Maybe it might have been another bowler, but yeah, I think when the Bison can mishit it up to six, it means I might have to go to the gym to get some arms like that.
It's obviously a pretty good score, but I guess we know that they keep coming with the bat and I guess the only way to stop them is to take wickets. And I guess we didn't really do that today, but, yeah, it was a hell of a game of cricket and we just got to reflect and move on.
I guess you pick five bowlers to do a job and that's their job, I guess, but, yeah, I mean, trying to find a way to slow them down. Maybe it might have been another bowler, but yeah, I think when the Bison can mishit it up to six, it means I might have to go to the gym to get some arms like that.
It's a completely different ground, obviously the dimensions. So, yeah, the plans will be slightly different there. Like I said, I think the key, even in our innings, is if you can take wickets, you can slow the runs down.
So I guess we have to find a way of trying to do that. But I thought we stuck in for a long time on a pretty good pitch and it was pretty close in the end."
Mitchell Marsh (Australia Captain and Player of the Match): "Tim David is extremely calm and confident in his ability towards the end we are very lucky to have him. It was a great game of cricket.
Anytime you chase 216 it is a good effort. I found the wicket really good. Slower balls were gripping a little bit.
The batting unit trusts in each other's ability and everybody wants to bat freely and win us games. Just go out there to play their way.
Its great to be playing the T20s. There is a lot of history between the 2 teams and we have got 2 games to go at Eden park. Its a middle ground to play at. We have lots of experience over there so looking forward to it. We are here to win the series so we hope to do it at Auckland.
Every XI we pick is to go out there and win the game. Also got a Test series that starts in a week so we will sit down tomorrow and plan for the next game. Hopefully we can win the series."
Anytime you chase 216 it is a good effort. I found the wicket really good. Slower balls were gripping a little bit.
The batting unit trusts in each other's ability and everybody wants to bat freely and win us games. Just go out there to play their way.
Its great to be playing the T20s. There is a lot of history between the 2 teams and we have got 2 games to go at Eden park. Its a middle ground to play at. We have lots of experience over there so looking forward to it. We are here to win the series so we hope to do it at Auckland.
Every XI we pick is to go out there and win the game. Also got a Test series that starts in a week so we will sit down tomorrow and plan for the next game. Hopefully we can win the series."
Highest total successfully chased down by Australia in T-20I:
245- vs New Zealand, February 2018
225- vs India, November 2023
215- vs New Zealand, Today
245- vs New Zealand, February 2018
225- vs India, November 2023
215- vs New Zealand, Today
Milestone Alert🚨:
➡Maxwell goes past Aaron Finch for playing most T-2OI for Australia.
➡Tim Southee surpasses Martin Guptill for playing the most T-20I for New Zealand
➡Maxwell goes past Aaron Finch for playing most T-2OI for Australia.
➡Tim Southee surpasses Martin Guptill for playing the most T-20I for New Zealand
That's it from our coverage for the series opener between New Zealand and Australia. Ninaad Dixit here signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Deepak Prakash and scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world.