Marsh (77, 50b, 6×4, 4×6) and Warner (53, 38b, 4×4, 3×6) came up with crucial knocks for the Australians in a high-pressure World Cup final after New Zealand had piled up a competitive 172/4 in 20 overs
Haridev Pushparaj
Muscat, Nov 14
Scintillating batting performances from Mitchell Marsh and David Warner helped Australia outplay New Zealand by eight wickets and clinch their first ever ICC T20 World Cup title, in Dubai on Sunday.
Marsh (77, 50b, 6×4, 4×6) and Warner (53, 38b, 4×4, 3×6) came up with crucial knocks for the Australians in a high-pressure World Cup final after New Zealand had piled up a competitive 172/4 in 20 overs.
Kane Williamson’s 85 was the highlight of the New Zealand batting but otherwise it was an Australian show all the way.
AUSSIES DOMINATE
Australia lost the wicket of skipper Aaron Finch pretty early in their chase as Trent Boult snuffed him out through a catch by Daryl Mitchell.
But David Warner and Mitchell Marsh kept the momentum going and the latter was aggressive with his intent. Marsh was going at a strike rate of 200 plus as he smashed two sixes and two boundaries with a score of 27 in the eighth over.
Warner also got a move on and went after Ish Sodhi in the ninth over as he carted him for two boundaries and a six. At 82/1 after 10 overs, Australia were going at a 8 plus run rate and with nine wickets in hand were certainly oncourse. Marsh took on Neesham in the 11th over as he smashed a six in the 11th over.
New Zealand had a glimmer of hope in the 13th over when Boult sent Warner packing getting him clean bowled for a well-made 53.
But Marsh was unstoppable as he brought up the fastest ever fifty in T20 World Cup finals and was rampaging the Aussies.
To add salt to their wounds, Marsh’s heave to the mid-wicket fence fell just short of Daryl Mitchell in the 15th over but Australia were well and truly on their way.
KANE RESCUES NZ
New Zealand really struggled to get the momentum going in the powerplay overs as the Australians controlled proceedings tightly. Josh Hazlewood was really on the ball as he got the wicket of Daryl Mitchell early when the batsman was caught behind by wicket-keeper Matthew Wade.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson looked to rebuild the innings in the company of Martin Guptill but the going was slow as Hazlewood, Zampa and Co had dried up the runs.
However, after the 10th over, Williamson got the scoreboard ticking at a fast clip as he cracked three boundaries in the 11th over off Mitchell Starc.
Zampa struck soon after as he got the back of Martin Guptill who was caught at deep mid-wicket by Marcus Stoinis. Williamson was the saving grace as he kept New Zealand in the hunt for a competitive score as he slammed two consecutive sixes off Glenn Maxwell in the 13th over.
Glenn Phillips took Zampa to the cleaners in the 15th over as he blasted a six and a four to give added momentum and direction to the innings.
Williamson then cut loose in the 16th over when he absolutely went berserk with a six and four boundaries that fetched New Zealand an invaluable 22 runs in the over.
It was golddust for the Kiwis as they looked to finish off with a bang and give Australia a stiff chase.
Phillips was out to Hazlewood in the 18th over when he went for a heave on the leg side and was caught by Maxwell. Williamson departed in the same over when he holed out to long off after a crucial 85-run knock.
New Zealand eventually reached a healthy and competitive 172/4 in 20 overs.
