Riding on Tim David's last-ball heroics, Australia secured a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20I in Wellington on February 21, taking an early lead in the three-match series. The match was a run-fest, with Australia clinching the win by chasing down a target of 216 on the last ball. Captain Mitchell Marsh led the charge with an unbeaten 72, supported by Tim David's quickfire 31 that propelled the team to victory. Australia needed four runs off the final ball and Tim David did the unthinkable by cracking boundary of Tim Southee's final ball.
New Zealand Set a Competitive Total
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra were instrumental for New Zealand, scoring 63 and 68 runs, respectively, and putting together a partnership of 113 runs. Opener Finn Allen added a brisk 32, while Glenn Phillips (19*) and Mark Chapman (18*) provided late surges to help New Zealand reach 215/3 in their 20 overs. Australian bowlers, including Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, each took a wicket but faced challenges throughout the innings.
Australia's Successful Chase
Australia had a solid start with openers Travis Head (24) and David Warner (32) making contributions. Despite losing their wickets, Marsh formed crucial partnerships, first with Glenn Maxwell (25) and then a 61-run stand with Josh Inglis (20). In the final overs, Marsh and David added 44 runs, with David hitting a boundary on the final delivery to seal the win.
Conway's Consistent Performance Against Australia
Conway's 63 off 46 balls marked his third half-century against Australia, bringing his total to 347 runs at an average of 69.40 against them. He also notched his eighth T20I fifty in New Zealand, taking his home run tally to 880 at an average of 51.76. Overall, Conway has accumulated 1,338 T20I runs at an average of 39.35.
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Ravindra's Maiden T20I Fifty
Rachin Ravindra's innings of 68 off 35 balls was his first T20I fifty, showcasing his acceleration after a cautious start. He has now scored 214 runs in 20 games at an average of 16.46, with a strike rate of 133.75. Meanwhile, Mark Chapman's contribution of 18 runs helped him surpass 1,000 T20I runs for New Zealand, becoming the 11th player to achieve this milestone (1,007 runs). Chapman boasts an average of 31.46 in 49 matches for New Zealand and has a career total of 1,399 T20I runs at an average of 28.55, including his performances for Hong Kong.
Australia will next face New Zealand in the second T20I which is scheduled to be played on February 23.
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