Less than a year ago, New Zealand felt another world trophy slip from their grasp as Australia managed a decent chase of 173 without breaking a sweat in the 2021 final. To start this year’s T20 World Cup , the Kiwis took on Australia with an extra level of ferocity, racking up 200 for just three wickets before defending it with aplomb. Keeping the chase to just 111 sealed the first upset of the Super 12 stage and badly affected the home side’s tournament plans.
It was young opener Finn Allen who introduced the cat to Australian pigeons. Facing Patrick Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood would be an intimidating choice for any Test opener, but Allen faced them all in the first three overs. He caught Starc down the ground, Hazlewood at cover and Cummins at square leg. After facing 13 off 18 balls, he had 35 runs and New Zealand made 46. Another direct monster from Marcus Stoinis took Allen to 42 off 16 balls as Hazlewood hit his stumps.
The performance was not entirely surprising, considering Allen’s exploits in the shorter format for Australia and England. He currently scores 166.99 per cent balls in T20 Internationals and 171.57 in all T20 cricket. That leaves him fifth-highest in history on both lists with a minimum of 250 balls faced. In all T20s, no one who has faced 400 balls has scored more than Allen, who has faced 1,189. He is the fastest run scorer in the world and has a chance to take New Zealand very far in the tournament.
This gave Devon Conway the perfect start and took him through the innings with an unbeaten 92 off 58 balls. He produced inventive flats and a series of perfectly placed drives against the fast bowlers, while repeatedly targeting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for big hits down the ground. “It was pretty special,” Conway said after the game. “I have seen [Allen] do it over and over again. He is not afraid, and the credit must go to him. The way Finn plays his game complements my game, I knew I could just play my game and bat around him.”
Finn Allen and Devon Conway run between the wickets at the SCG. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Zampa trapped New Zealand captain Kane Williamson with a sticky delivery that hit him in front of the stumps for 23, and Hazlewood took a lead over Glenn Phillips (12 runs) and completed the catch, but that didn’t slow him down . Conway. James Neesham also played his part to perfection with four overs to play, hitting 26 off 13 balls, including a six off the last ball of the innings.
Australia generally like to chase big totals, but they need to start from the top. David Warner edged Trent Boult for a boundary before deflecting a Tim Southee delivery onto his stumps after scoring just five runs. Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh briefly threatened, Finch sending Southee over the leg side and Marsh hitting a six of his own at extra cover off Mitchell Santner. But the New Zealand left-arm spinner had Finch (13) caught at cover in the same over, then Marsh (16) lifted Southee to Neesham in the deep.
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That left the job to Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, who were bundled out by a quick from Lockie Ferguson and an accurate one from Santner. Another piece of New Zealand brilliance knocked out Stoinis, caught deep by a Phillips in the air who was up and celebrating almost as soon as his flight path had crossed the ground.
This left Australia needing 150 from 70 balls. Tim David hit Santner for a six from outside the off-stump before perishing trying to replicate it, and while Maxwell took it upon himself to chain 28 runs in quick time, including turning left-handed to get Ish Sodhi go to the second square of the tribune. , Matthew Wade soon went over Ferguson from behind and the game was over.
Boult and Southee cleaned up the tail, Boult finishing with two for 24 from his full allotment, while Southee claimed an absurd three for six from 13 deliveries. Santner top-scored with three for 31, while Ferguson and Sodhi each took a wicket. Of Australia’s bowlers, on the other hand, the most economical was Starc with nine runs over.
In a group stage where only two teams will progress to the knockout stages, New Zealand now have the upper hand, and Australia finding a way to beat favorites England is now vital.