NZ Vs AUS, T20 World Cup Final, Live Cricket Scores: Kane Williamson Leads New Zealand Charge, Reaches Fifty

So, we will have a new T20 World Cup champion on Sunday night in Dubai. ICC World Test champions New Zealand have never won a major white-ball world title and play their maiden T20 World Cup final against Australia. The Aaron-Finch-led Australian team will also be gunning for their first ICC men’s T20 World Cup title, having made the title round in 2010, only to lose by seven wickets against England in Bridgetown. Follow live cricket scores of NZ vs AUS here.

(LIVE SCORECARD | LIVE STREAMING | STATISTICS)

20-40 PM IST- Phillips takes on 

What’s more impressive by this New Zealand side is that run flow hasn’t stopped despite some top bowling from the Australians. Glenn Phillips now joins the party with a four and six from Adam Zampa. New Zealand 114/2 (15)   

20-37 PM IST- 5 from Cummins 

Australia makes a brilliant comeback with just five runs from Pat Cummins. Kane Williamson (54*), Glenn Phillips (4*) New Zealand 102/1 (14)  

20-31 PM IST- Brilliant Kane

What a way to bring up fifty in a T20 World Cup final for Kane Williamson. The skipper hits Glenn Maxwell for back-to-back sixes to take 16 runs from the over. New Zealand 97/2 (13)   

20-22 PM IST- Zampa strikes

Breakthrough for Australia! Martin Guptill hoists Adam Zampa on the leg-side but finds Marcus Stoinis just inside the rope. Guptill goes for 28 from 35. New batsman in is Glenn Phillips. Just 5 runs from the over. New Zealand 81/2 (12) 

20-20 PM IST- Big over for NZ

Dropped. Josh Hazlewood puts down Kane Williamson at the boundary. Three back-to-back fours by Williamson off Mitchel Starc. 19 runs from the over for New Zealand. Kiwis 76/1 (11) 

20-13 PM IST-  Halfway stage

Six singles from the 10th over off Adam Zampa. Kane Williamson (18*) and Martin Guptill (27). New Zealand 57/1 (10)  

20-09 PM IST- Kane breaks the shackles

Kane Williamson (15*) hits back-to-back boundaries after 32 balls, much to the relief for New Zealand. Martin Guptill (24*). Half-century for Kiwis. New Zealand. 51/1 (9)

20-06 PM IST- Zampa comes in

Brilliant start from Adam Zampa. The leggie has been at his best for the Australians in this tournament and he starts with three runs in his first. New Zealand dealing only in singles now, 40/1 (8)  

20-00 PM IST- Aussies on top

After Daryl Mitchell’s wicket, New Zealand have gone into the shell. Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill in the middle. More than 20 dot balls already for the Kiwis. New Zealand 37/1 (7)  

19-58 PM IST- Powerplay

Superb stuff from Hazlewood. Doesn’t bowl too wide, not trying too many things, just doing the basics. Only two runs off the final ball of the Powerplay. New Zealand 32/1 (6)  

19-50 PM IST- Excellent Cummins 

Excellent start from Pat Cummins just concedes two runs. He maintains a tight line and length, keeps the opposition in check with his cross-seam. Others please note! New Zealand 30/1 (5)  

19-50 PM IST- Hazlewood strikes

Josh Hazlewood gives Australia first breakthrough. Daryl Mitchell drives a slower ball from Hazlewood and edges behind to Matthew Wade for 11. Kane Williamson comes in. New Zealand 28/1 (3.5)

19-43 PM IST- Mitchell magic

Daryl Mitchell starts from he finished in the semifinal. Pitched full by Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell just tonks the ball over the bowler’s head for a huge six. Four singles apart from that in the over. New Zealand 23/0 (3)

19-38 PM IST- Good comeback

Good comeback by Josh Hazlewood. Just a four from Martin Guptill (10*) in the over. Daryl Mitchell (3*). New Zealand 13/0 (2)  

19-33 PM IST- Confident start

Pretty confident start by the New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell. Just a boundary in the first over by Mitchell Starc. New Zealand 9/0 (1)

19-12 PM IST- Captains Speak

Kane Williamson (NZ)– We will try to get a competitive total on board. It is a shame that Conway is missing but as a team, we have to move on and focus on the challenge at hand. 

Aaron Finch (AUS)- I don’t think the pitch will change much as the game progresses. The way we hung in the contest and take it deeply was crucial for us. 

19-06 PM IST- Playing XIs

New Zealand– Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson(c), Tim Seifert(w), Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult

Australia– David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

19-04 PM IST- Team news

Tim Seifert replaces injured Devon Conway in the New Zealand side. Australia go unchanged. 

19-00 PM IST- Toss

Australia win the toss and they will bowl first

18- 58 PM IST- Pitch report 

The strip is a bit dry, unlike the others that have been played on previously in this tournament. The middle overs are going to be crucial for both teams, reports Shane Watson. 

18-56 PM IST- Player speak

David Warner- It’s all about delivering every time what I can. The trend at this ground is that the powerplay is not high scoring and it is about minimizing damage.

18-50 PM IST- For one last time in this edition

18-43 PM IST- For Your Information

FYI- The T20 World Cup 2021 Final is a 3 AM start in New Zealand and a 1 AM start in Australia. Surely, the two countries will be awake the whole night. Whoever wins, it’s going to be a national holiday the next morning (not sure though). 

18- 42 PM IST- The last time both New Zealand and Australia met each other in an ICC tournament summit clash was during the 2015 World Cup (ODI) final. While the Australians won that day under now-retired Michael Clarke, it’s time for revenge for the Black Caps today in Dubai. Check out what’s in store for the two teams in the final. 

18-33 PM IST- Player speak

Jimmy Neesham- One game to go and I’m sure there will be a bigger outpouring of emotion if we manage to get across the line. 

18-31 PM IST- India cricket news 

Since BCCI are the T20 World Cup 2021 organisers, let’s update with some stories related to Indian cricket. Former India batsman VVS Laxman is likely to be appointed as National Cricket Academy head while BCCI will hold its AGM in Kolkata on December 4. 

18-23 PM IST- Australia – Road to T20 World Cup final

Vs South Africa – Won by 5 wickets

Vs Sri Lanka – Won by 7 wickets

Vs England – Lost by 8 wickets

Bangladesh – Won by 8 wickets

Vs West Indies – Won by 8 wickets

Vs Pakistan – Won by 5 wickets (semifinals)

18-20 PM IST- New Zealand – Road to T20 World Cup final

Vs Pakistan – Lost by 5 wickets

Vs India – Won by 8 wickets

Vs Scotland – Won by 16 runs

Vs Namibia – Won by 52 runs

Vs Afghanistan – Won by 8 wickets

Vs England – Won by 5 wickets (semifinals)

18-11 PM IST- Big final 

Hello and welcome for the one last time in this ICC T20 World Cup. It’s the big finale in Dubai as the world will get a new champion in the shortest format of the game. Will it be New Zealand? Will it be Australia? Whoever wins the trophy, will carry the title home for the first time.

PREVIEW

The eerie similarity in which New Zealand and Australia have advanced to the T20 World Cup 2021 final is reason enough to say that there are no favourites in tonight’s final. This is New Zealand’s third straight ICC final while Australia are in the title round of an ICC event after winning the 50-over World Cup in 2015.

Purely on form, both NZ and AUS deserve to be in the final. Both teams scored sensational come-from-behind wins and that will add a huge slice of confidence to the Trans-Tasman rivals.

While Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham gave the Kiwis some late flight against England, Mathew Wade and Marcus Stoinis conjured a magic partnership to stun Pakistan in the semifinals.

There are several match-winners on both sides and while Australia will depend on its top order batting, where David Warner has been outstanding, New Zealand will bank on their well-rounded bowling attack, led by Trent Boult, the third highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 11 wickets in six matches.

New Zealand will surely miss Devon Conway, the versatile keeper-batsman who played a big role in the Kiwi campaign till he broke his hand in frustration. New Zealand have never beaten Australia in four previous knockout matches in ICC events.

(ends)