New Zealand has dominated Australia in the opening T20 at Hagley Oval, defeating them by 54 runs.
Spinner Ish Sodhi would torment the Australians, taking four wickets to ensure that they posted their lowest ever total against the Kiwis in T20 cricket.
After choosing to bowl first, Aaron Finch and Australia got off to the perfect start, with Daniel Sams taking the prized scalp of Martin Guptill after just three balls.
Sams would dismiss Kane Williamson in his next over, restricting the hosts to 3/19 after four overs.
Despite the slow start, New Zealand would steady the ship thanks to Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips, with the pair putting on 74 before Phillips was dismissed for 30.
Hello Devon! A new T20I high score for Devon Conway is pushing the team to a total at Hagley Oval. Watch play LIVE with @sparknzsport and @TVNZ 1 #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/GObBw4zrpp
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 22, 2021
Conway, who was coming into the tournament after four consecutive fifties in the Super Smash, would hit 10 fours and three sixes.
The Kiwis hit 43 off the final three overs to reach 5/184, with Conway falling agonisingly short of a maiden T20 hundred on 99*.
Scoring 99 in Men's T20Is:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) February 22, 2021
Alex Hales 🏴 99 v WI Nottingham 2012
Luke Wright 🏴 99* v AFG Colombo 2012
Dawid Malan 🏴 99* v SA Cape Town 2020
Mohammad Hafeez 🇵🇰 99* v NZ Hamilton 2020
Devon Conway 🇳🇿 99* v AUS Christchurch 2021#NZvAUS
Needing a big total, Australia's inning got off to the worst possible start as Finch (1) and debutant Josh Philippe (2) departed inside the first two overs.
They would be shortly followed by Matthew Wade (12) and Glenn Maxwell (1), leaving Australia stranded on 4/19.
"This is looking disastrous for the Australians,” Mark Waugh said during the collapse on Fox Cricket.
“I just wonder whether there’s been too much pre-meditation in their batting so far.”
The Big Show Glenn Maxwell plays away from his body and Tim Southee has him caught by Jimmy Neesham at second slip.
— Spark Sport (@sparknzsport) February 22, 2021
Watch all the action live and on demand – only on Spark Sport #NZvAUS ⭕️🏏 pic.twitter.com/4ZOhJdJgc3
Whilst they would be bolstered by some late hitting from Mitch Marsh (45) and Ashton Agar (23), they would be dismissed inside 18 overs, bowled out for 131 as New Zealand recorded a 53 run victory.
Isi Sodhi (4/28) ripped through their middle and lower order, ensuring that they posted their lowest against their Trans-Tasman rivals, besting the previous mark of 9/134 set in 2016.
"We didn't play our best tonight," Finch said post-match.
"Devon Conway well and truly deserved a hundred. They're tough to come by in T20s and he played an absolutely great knock.
"I thought they built a great partnership and their foundation was through their running between wickets. We didn't get it right. It nipped and swung a bit under lights."