Australia have lifted their first T20 World Cup trophy with a resounding win over New Zealand. It’s been yet another occasion of key players clicking when push comes to shove, and another trophy added to their cabinet.
Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first, and the tactic worked to good effect as Josh Hazlewood removed the in-form Daryl Mitchell in the 4th over.
New Zealand would manage only 32 runs in the Powerplay, a far cry from the ideal fast start they’d have hoped for. However, captain Kane Williamson began to find his rhythm when Mitchell Marsh had a bowl, scoring consecutive boundaries. But the pivotal moment came when Hazlewood shelled a catch at short fine leg when Williamson was at a run-a-ball 21.
Martin Guptill scratched around for a rickety 28 from 35, and his dismissal let Williamson gradually step on the gas. Through 12 overs, the Blackcaps were going at just a shade below 7 an over, but Williamson cracked two sixes off Glenn Maxwell’s offspin to bring up a tremendous half-century.
Glenn Phillips joined the action when he hit a 6 and a 4 off Adam Zampa, but the 16th over was the climax. Williamson plundered 22 off Mitchell Starc, who would concede a whopping 60 runs in his quota. Not once did Williamson look to go for an ugly slog – his conventional, artistic strokeplay toon him to a superb 85 from 48.
Josh Hazlewood was, unsurprisingly, the star of the show for Australia. He came back to send down his last over at the death and claimed the wickets of Williamson and Phillips. He’s taken 11 wickets in 7 games in this tournament and has been the go-to strike bowler for Australia throughout.
NZ reached 172 with another 23 runs coming from the final two overs, and in the scheme of things, it was a strong total for a team batting first. But given Australia’s batting depth, they still had to bowl tightly to put up a fight.
During the chase, NZ got off to the ideal start, with Aaron Finch departing cheaply for the second time in two games. But David Warner and Mitchell Marsh got to work and made sure Australia got their boundaries at regular intervals in order to keep the required rate under control.
The introduction of spin was key, but both Warner and Marsh took advantage of loose deliveries from Ish Sodhi. Sodhi’s second over went for 17, and his third went for 16. Warner dug in well, but Marsh was the greater aggressor. Marsh reached a splendid half-century in just 31 balls: the fastest in a T20WC final.
Trent Boult was back into the attack and claimed the wicket of David Warner, but the 92 run stand had eased a lot of pressure for Australia. With Glenn Maxwell in next, the game was essentially fully in their control.
From that point on, it was a rather risk-free finish, with Marsh and Maxwell continuing to target the boundary. Marsh has been a revelation at No 3 for the Aussies. He never scored a half-century in T20Is but scored six fifties all in this year. He made an unbeaten 77 today, which is now his personal-best in T20Is.
There were questions over the team balance, but the 7-4 split ended up a masterstroke. The batting depth was just right, and with three players accounting for the fifth bowler, there was a surplus of resources to choose from. All in all, this is a huge achievement for the Thunder from Down Under.
NZ 172/4 in 20 overs (Williamson 85 – Hazlewood 4-0-16-3)
AUS 173/2 in 18.5 overs (Marsh 77*, Warner 53 – Boult 4-0-18-2)
PHOTO: EPA/DAVID GRAY
