New Zealand vs Australia: third T20 international – as it happened
All our updates as Australia beat New Zealand by 27 runs in the rain-reduced final T20 international of the series.
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Australia beat New Zealand by 27 runs in the final T20 international of the tour on Sunday, February 25:
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Australia beat New Zealand by 27 runs in the final T20 international of the tour on Sunday, February 25:
- Australia beat New Zealand by 27 runs in a rain-reduced third and final T20 international of the series.
- The match in Auckland was reduced to a 10-over chase with the Kiwis setting a revised target of 126.
- The Aussies posted 118-4 off 10.4 overs before their innings was brought to a premature end.
- Australia take the three-match T20 series 3-0 at the start of their tour of New Zealand.
- The Aussies won the first game in Wellington by six wickets on Wednesday with the winning runs struck off the final ball.
- The Kiwis capitulated to 29-4 in their chase of 175 as Australia won by 72 runs in Friday’s match.
- Teams around the globe are preparing for June and July’s 2024 T20 World Cup.
Goodbye for now
That’s it from our live coverage of the three T20 internationals in Australia’s tour of New Zealand.
The Aussies take all three matches in a clear statement ahead of the T20 World Cup, which starts in June.
It’s over to the Tests for the sides now as the tour continues.
Our next live sport coverage comes later on Sunday as Liverpool face Chelsea in the EFL Cup final at Wembley in London.
We hope you enjoyed our live coverage on this page and can join us again soon.
For now though, from me Kevin Hand, it’s goodnight.
Australia clinch victory in the third T20I, wrapping up a commanding 3-0 sweep in the #NZvAUS series 💪
Scorecard 📝 https://t.co/5zaMvjHjvr pic.twitter.com/6DzABvuHPo
— ICC (@ICC) February 25, 2024
Maxwell’s hammer helped
Glenn Maxwell hit his first ball for four and his second for six – with a rain delay in between.
Matthew Short and Tim David both returned strike rates that bettered Maxwell’s 20 off nine and it was the cameos that swung it for the Aussies.
Play resumes with no overs lost - and Glenn Maxwell celebrates with a six off the first ball after the break! #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/VfiywdZNag
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 25, 2024
A statement series
The first match went to the last ball with Tim David hitting four to see Australia over the line.
The final two matches were comprehensive wins for the Aussies and the Cricket World Cup champions have made a statement against their neighbours early in a T20 World Cup year.
A clean sweep for Australia
The Aussies take all three T20 internationals at the start of their tour of New Zealand.
The final over of the innings was the Kiwis’ second biggest of their knock but by then, it was far too late.
A clean sweep for Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy T20I series! #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/yqiGBiLFRZ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 25, 2024
Australia win by 27 runs
Mark Chapman finds his second boundary off the last ball of the New Zealand innings and his 15th ball but the Kiwis fall a long way short.
Six for Phillips
Matthew Short bowls the final over and Glenn Phillips looks to restore some pride for the Kiwis as he launches the first ball back down the ground with a flat bat.
Nine overs. New Zealand 83-3
The Kiwis have come up woefully short.
Glenn Phillips worked with a ball angled in to him from Nathan Phillips and it raced away fine for four of the fifth ball of the over for the only boundary.
The game is up for the Kiwis
Three balls into the ninth over and no boundary and the chase is out of reach now for New Zealand.
Eight overs. New Zealand 75-3
Glenn Phillips muscles Mitchell Starc’s final ball of the day back over long-off for four.
It’s surely not enough though, for New Zealand with 12 balls left.
Four to start the over
The Kiwis are up against it now but Mark Chapman starts the eighth over with a boundary as he edges Mitchell Starc for four through third.
Seven overs. New Zealand 66-3
No boundary in the over as Spencer Johnson troubles the batters for pace again.
A wide helps and two drive through the covers but Glenn Phillips but otherwise it’s all singles.
Six overs. New Zealand 58-3
Glenn Phillips gets the last ball of the over away for four again but again it’s an edge.
This time it comes off the inside of the bat and beats short fine-leg.
WICKET! Allen is out. New Zealand 51-3
Finn Allen top edges to Mitchell Starc at point off Adam Zampa to fall for 13 off nine balls faced.
Five overs. New Zealand 51-2
Glenn Phillips edges the final ball of the over for four over short third as he swings hard at a length ball from Nathan Ellis.
Nathan Ellis enters the attack
The right-arm seamer concedes just a single off his first three balls.
Four overs. New Zealand 46-2
Glenn Phillips sweeps the fourth ball of the over for his first six and the Kiwis are mostly up with the rate as the power-play comes to an end.
Phillips off the mark with a boundary
The right-hander drives Adam Zampa’s first ball back past the bowler to get off the mark.
Three overs. New Zealand 33-2
The last ball flew off a length to beat the bat and the keeper as it ran away for four byes.
The ball came back in sharply to beat the inside edge and Matthew Wade behind the stumps is stunned by the pace and movement from Spencer Johnson.
WICKET! Seifert falls. New Zealand 29-2
Tim Seifert plays a flat-batted shot at a short ball but is tucked up by the pace of Spencer Johnson.
The ball dollies into the offside and Josh Inglis takes a comfortable catch.
The right-hander falls for two from five balls faced.
Spencer Johnson bowls the third over
He’s left arm over the wicket and concedes only two singles off his first three balls.
Two overs. New Zealand 26-1
Finn Allen ends the over with a sweet pickup that soars over long-on for six.
WICKET! Young is out. New Zealand 19-1
The long game works for Matthew Short as the spinner floats another ball through the air and Will Young gets a thick edge on a huge swing.
The catch is comfortably taken at by fellow spinner Adam Zampa at short third and Young falls for 14.
Short is on but the ball is off
Matthew Short is thrown the ball to open at the other end and Will Young sends the off-break bowler’s first ball for six with a huge sweep over square leg.
One over. New Zealand 8-0
Finn Allen swings hard at the last ball and an inside edge deflects onto his pads but rolls safely away.
First boundary off the fourth ball
Will Young lifts Mitchell Starc over mid-off with a lofted drive for four.