New Zealand vs Australia LIVE: T20 World Cup final score, result and latest cricket updates
Australia and New Zealand are meeting in the T20 World Cup final for what is an historic encounter in Dubai. Neither country have ever won the tournament, with Australia having reached the final once before where they lost to England in 2010, and New Zealand never having reached the final.
New Zealand saw off England in the semi-finals on Wednesday with a late onslaught courtesy of Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, while Australia’s victory over the previously unbeaten Pakistan mirrored the Kiwis’ win as Matthew Wade smashed and ramped the Australians to their target with an over to spare. The two matches demonstrated the importance of batting second in the shortest format of the game, and the toss could again prove crucial here today.
The two teams have met in 14 T20 internationals before this match and Australia firmly have the edge in that record, with nine victories and five defeats. However it was New Zealand who took victory in the only previous T20 World Cup meeting between the pair. Follow all the action from the final below, live.
Read More
New Zealand staying ‘pretty level’ ahead of T20 World Cup final, Tim Southee insists
Australia head coach Justin Langer confident of winning the T20 World Cup
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
Neither country have ever won the T20 World Cup
Seifert replaces injured Conway for New Zealand, Australia unchanged
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first
Williamson hits 85 as New Zealand post 172
Australia win the T20 World Cup!
17:23 , Lawrence Ostlere
Marsh slams a four down the ground before pulling for a single, and Maxwell tickles one around the corner for a World Cup-winning four!
Australia 162-2 (18 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
17:19 , Lawrence Ostlere
Milne slows things up a little, with only three runs off the over. Now 11 runs from 12 balls required.
Australia 159-2 (17 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
17:14 , Lawrence Ostlere
Williamson brings Boult back into the attack in an effort to force a wicket or two, but Marsh hits a two and four off the first two balls. Boult has the chance of a catch on the final ball of the over but he puts it down.
Australia 149-2 (16 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
17:08 , Lawrence Ostlere
Two more boundaries by Maxwell off Southee’s bowling, and Australia need 24 runs from 24 balls.
Australia 136-2 (15 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
17:02 , Lawrence Ostlere
Maxwell steers a precise hook for four and then slashes a wild top edge over the keeper’s head for another four. Australia are closing in on their first T20 World Cup.
Australia 125-2 (14 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:57 , Lawrence Ostlere
Sodhi bowls again, and he’s hit all around the park – it’s a disastrous over. Marsh brings up his 50 with another huge six down the ground for the fastest half-century in a T20 World Cup final. Marsh then strikes a half-tracker for four. If Australia win this match he will be a big reason why. Three wides really don’t help New Zealand’s cause, and that’s an expensive over of 16 runs off Sodhi.
Australia 109-2 (13 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
Glenn Maxwell comes in at No 4.
Wicket! Australia 107-2 (12.2 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
Trent Boult is back into the attack and he takes Warner with his second delivery! Warner swiped and missed, and the delivery crashed into his middle and off stumps. A big lifeline for the Kiwis, finally breaking the partnership.
Australia 106-1 (12 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:46 , Lawrence Ostlere
Santner goes for another nine runs, including one four by Marsh, and New Zealand are in huge trouble here.
Australia 97-1 (11 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:42 , Lawrence Ostlere
Neesham comes into the attack, but Marsh and Warner are taking the game away from New Zealand here. Marsh smashes a six off the first ball and Warner cracks another six off the fourth. That’s his 50!
Australia 82-1 (10 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:35 , Lawrence Ostlere
A good over from Santner, who delivers a few much-needed dot balls for New Zealand. Will Williamson continue with spin?
Australia 77-1 (9 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:30 , Lawrence Ostlere
Sodhi’s second over is extremely expensive: first David Warner drags a brilliant swiping shot from wide of off-stump down the ground for a four on the on-side, then he gets even more creative with a reverse shot through the off-side for two. Warner slashes another four past Milne at deep point and finishes the over with an enormous six down the ground. Wow.
Australia 60-1 (8 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:26 , Lawrence Ostlere
Mitchell Santner comes into the game. Williamson only used him for one over against England due to the number of left-handers in the English batting line-up, so perhaps a brave move to let Warner at the spinner. But it’s Marsh who attacks, crashing a six over deep square leg! A few singles follow.
Australia 50-1 (7 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:21 , Lawrence Ostlere
Ish Sodhi comes into the New Zealand attack, the first taste of spin for Australia’s batsmen. Warner and Marsh rotate the strike nicely with five singles and a two, and that brings up 50 for Australian chase.
Australia 43-1 (6 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
Better from Adam Milne, who doesn’t offer Warner much to go attack at all, and a much-needed tight over.
Australia 40-1 (5 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:13 , Lawrence Ostlere
A huge six by Warner who smacks a short Southee ball into the stands on the on-side. A few singles add to Australia’s tally, and they are going along well.
Australia 30-1 (4 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:09 , Lawrence Ostlere
Six! Adam Milne is into the attack and Marsh smashes his first ball over deep square leg, an astonishing hit into the top tier. Two fours follow and it’s clear Australia are attacking the weakest of New Zealand’s strong pace bowlers. A good over for Australia.
Australia 15-1 (3 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:04 , Lawrence Ostlere
Mitchell Marsh is the new man in. Three more dots from Boult, and that’s a brilliant over.
Wicket! Australia 15-1 (2.3 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
16:03 , Lawrence Ostlere
Aaron Finch slams Boult for four but with the very next ball he’s gone, hitting high into the sky where Daryl Mitchell catches brilliantly on the run. A big breakthrough for New Zealand.
Australia 11-0 (2 overs) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
15:59 , Lawrence Ostlere
David Warner swipes Tim Southee’s second ball over cover for four. New Zealand won’t necessarily mind that if Warner is going to offer up his wicket early, but his accuracy is excellent and with the very next ball he flicks over backward point for another boundary. Ten from the over.
Australia 1-0 (1 over) chasing 173 to win T20 World Cup
15:55 , Lawrence Ostlere
Trent Boult produces two dots before showing a shade of swing, which draws the edge of Warner’s bat and runs away for a single. Finch comes in and immediately steps well forwards outside of his crease to try to negate that swing. This is more like an over of Test cricket, finishing with Boult calling for LBW, but nothing given. Excellent bowling.
T20 World Cup final
15:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
So here come Australia. Can Warner and Finch survive the speed and swing of Boult and Southee? This powerplay will be fascinating, and potentially crucial too. Sam Curran, speaking on Sky Sports, thinks New Zealand are in the driving seat.
New Zealand 172-4 (20 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:41 , Lawrence Ostlere
Starc to bowl the final over. Seifert flicks the first ball off his toes for four behind square leg. Then comes a dot and a single, handing the strike to Neesham. He swings hard but misses and Starc breathes a sigh of relief. Two balls to go. The first is a wide and a pinched single, then Seifert pushes a single from the next. Neesham faces the final ball, runs two, and that is a very respectable total of 172.
New Zealand 162-4 (19 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:34 , Lawrence Ostlere
It’s now Jimmy Neesham and Tim Seifert at the crease after those two wickets. Neesham picks up where he left off in the semi-final, crushing a big six straight down the ground of Cummins’ bowling. On the final ball they pinch a second run which was barely there, Neesham just surviving a check on the big screen. One more over.
New Zealand 149-4 (18 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:28 , Lawrence Ostlere
An excellent over by Josh Hazlewood, who has been sensational, and he finishes his four overs with figures of 3-16.
Wicket! New Zealand 148-4 (17.5 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:27 , Lawrence Ostlere
It’s the big one, Kane Williamson, who nails the fifth ball of the over to Steve Smith at long-off. A brilliant innings of 85 of 48 balls is over.
Wicket! New Zealand 144-3 (17.2 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:24 , Lawrence Ostlere
Hazelwood has been magnificent and he picks up another wicket as Phillips flicks the ball to deep midwicket.
New Zealand 144-2 (17 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:22 , Lawrence Ostlere
Cummins has done well to settle things each time he’s come in to bowl, and he does so again, although still eight runs off it via mostly singles. This match is so well poised. New Zealand have the wickets in hand to attack these final three overs.
New Zealand 136-2 (16 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
Incredible over. Williamson gets a little lucky with an edge which runs for four off the first ball as Starc returns to the attack, but he has earned his luck here with a really positive innings. Off the second comes another edge, another four! A six then comes off the third smashed over the on-side – stunning hitting. Dot, then another four fired behind deep backward point, then another off the last ball! Wow, 22 runs. Starc has been so, so expensive, against some world-class batting.
New Zealand 114-2 (15 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:11 , Lawrence Ostlere
Glenn Phillips cuts loose and smashes the first ball of Zampa’s over for six! A few more runs follow for a useful addition of 12 runs to the New Zealand total. They’ve really stepped on here. Can they finish the job and post a challenging total?
New Zealand 102-2 (14 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:07 , Lawrence Ostlere
Cummins keeps things fairly tight. That’s 100 up for New Zealand. Can they get at Zampa in the next?
New Zealand 97-2 (13 overs), Australia yet to bat
15:01 , Lawrence Ostlere
Monstrous back-to-back sixes by Williamson, both thumped over deep midwicket and into the stands, and he brings up his 50. This is a real captain’s innings under an awful lot of pressure by Australia’s bowling attack. He’s giving New Zealand a chance.
New Zealand 81-2 (12 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:56 , Lawrence Ostlere
A good over by Adam Zampa, going for only five runs and getting the crucial wicket of Guptill. That has settled Australia a little after the 19 off Starc in the previous over.
Wicket! New Zealand 76-2 (11.1 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:52 , Lawrence Ostlere
Guptill takes on Zampa but picks out a fielder at deep midwicket with the first ball of the over.
New Zealand 76-1 (11 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
Dropped! Williamson picks out Hazlewood on the boundary and he fumbles a fairly routine catch, tipping behind for four just to add insult to injury, to the frustration of bowler Starc. An excellent over from the Kiwi captain who seems to have decided to change gear – he adds another four down the ground, then smacks a full toss for another four at midwicket with brilliant reactions – a no ball which offers up a free hit: Williamson cracks that for another two runs and that’s 19 off the over!
New Zealand 57-1 (10 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
Six singles against Zampa, and halfway through this innings it’s fair to say Australia are on top. Scores of around 180 were suggested before the start as being necessary for the team batting first, and while that might be a bit on the high side from what we’ve seen of this pitch so far, New Zealand are well behind where they would want to be at this stage. A long way to go, of course.
New Zealand 51-1 (9 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:39 , Lawrence Ostlere
Finally a couple of boundaries for New Zealand, courtesy of captain Williamson against Mitchell Marsh who hits successive 4s through extra cover and then deep midwicket.
New Zealand 41-1 (8 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:36 , Lawrence Ostlere
Zampa into the attack with more spin, and there are just too many dot balls for New Zealand to add runs on the board. Another tight over.
New Zealand 37-1 (7 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:31 , Lawrence Ostlere
Maxwell with more spin. He gets pushed around for a few singles, but no boundaries, and that is a good over by Australia’s fifth bowler. New Zealand are under the pump a little here in these early stages, but still a long way to go.
New Zealand 32-1 (6 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:28 , Lawrence Ostlere
Almost a maiden over, and that’s brilliant from Josh Hazlewood who gives Williamson no room to manoeuvre. The New Zealand captain gets two from the final ball, but Hazlewood has gone for only 11 runs in his first three overs, and picked up that early wicket. It is New Zealand’s lowest powerplay score of the tournament so far.
New Zealand 30-1 (5 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:23 , Lawrence Ostlere
Kane Williamson is in at No 3. Pat Cummins comes into the attack for Australia and starts well with three dot balls into Guptill. A couple of singles follow, but it’s an excellent over for the Aussies to back-up the early wicket.
WICKET! New Zealand 28-1 (3.5 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
The first ball of the over was beautifully timed by Guptill, rocking on to his back foot and carving a four through point off Hazlewood’s first ball. But what follows is more disciplined bowling before the breakthrough, as Mitchell offers a slight nick which keeper Matthew Wade rocks forward to catch.
New Zealand 23-0 (3 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:13 , Lawrence Ostlere
Six! Glenn Maxwell is Australia’s fifth bowler and Daryl Mitchell immediately lets him know New Zealand are going to attack him, thrashing him back down the ground for the first six of this final. A few singles follow to take New Zealand to a steady 23 off the first three overs.
New Zealand 13-0 (2 overs), Australia yet to bat
14:10 , Lawrence Ostlere
There doesn’t seem to be much swing out there so early wickets might be hard to come by, but Josh Hazlewood finds a good line to keep Martin Guptill quiet with four successive dot balls, building some pressure. The fifth is a bit wide and is pulled behind square for four, before another dot to finish. Good over by Hazlewood.
New Zealand 9-0 (1 over), Australia yet to bat
14:05 , Lawrence Ostlere
Martin Guptill punches Mitchell Starc’s third ball through cover for four in a positive start by New Zealand. A single off the fourth, then some good running between the wickets as Daryl Mitchell puts on three more, and another single to finish.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
13:56 , Lawrence Ostlere
Time for the national anthems – lots of smiles among the Australian team and staff, they look very relaxed.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
13:54 , Lawrence Ostlere
If this match was perhaps 55-45 in Australia’s favour this week, given the freak injury to New Zealand’s middle-order glueman Devon Conway during the semi-final win over England, it is surely now 60-40 or more towards Australia after winning the toss. With the power in the Aussies’ line-up and their ability to rack up boundaries late in the piece, Kane Williamson knows his New Zealand side will need to post a big number if they are to resist Australia’s chase.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
13:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
Aaron Finch has won six out seven tosses at this World Cup. Form.
Earthquake felt in Dubai
13:42 , Lawrence Ostlere
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake has struck southern Iran, near the city of Bandar Abbas, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), and was felt as far away as Dubai where this T20 World Cup final is being held.
Full story:
Strong earthquake hits Middle East
Confirmed line-ups
13:36 , Lawrence Ostlere
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Seifert, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazelwood
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
13:33 , Lawrence Ostlere
Australia win the toss and they will, of course, bowl first. A big moment in the match, given the record at this stadium – 16 of the 17 T20s in Dubai have been won by the chasing team.
Australia captain Aaron Finch:
13:28 , Lawrence Ostlere
“It’s bloody exciting to be playing against New Zealand. We play quite a bit against New Zealand now and we always have great battles regardless of the format. They are a great team and are led super by Kane Williamson.
“It’s not unexpected. We came here with a clear plan to try to win this tournament. We always felt as though we’ve got the depth of the squad and the quality in our squad to put ourselves in a position to do that. And New Zealand, they have been in every final for a long time now in ICC events. They are a team that can never be underestimated. Maybe people on the outside do. Certainly inside, we don’t. They have got class.”
New Zealand’s semi-final hero Jimmy Neesham:
13:23 , Lawrence Ostlere
“We’ve had a few days to get over the semi, to come back down to earth, it feels like a long tournament but finally the day’s here. If you want to be regarded as one of the best teams you have to get to finals consistently. In the past we might have thought getting to semis and finals was good for a small country, but now we think that’s not good enough.”
Team news
13:12 , Lawrence Ostlere
Devon Conway is out for the Black Caps after breaking his hand punching his bat in frustration during the semi-final. That means wicketkeeper Tim Seifert should step in, although allrounder Mark Chapman is another option with Glenn Phillips able to deputise behind the stumps.
Australia are expected to name an unchanged side.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
13:06 , Lawrence Ostlere
Both teams have match-winners running all the way down their line-ups and whoever emerges victorious will break their duck in this competition in its seventh edition. It is the Black Caps’ first final appearance, while Australia return to the showpiece match-up 11 years on from defeat to England in Bridgetown.
The toss appears to be more crucial than ever in deciding the outcome of T20i matches, while four of the six finals to date have been won by chasing teams.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
12:59 , Lawrence Ostlere
After 44 matches we are left with two teams, with the Black Caps upsetting England by five wickets in the semi-finals behind Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 72, while Australia stormed back from a precarious position to knock off Pakistan by five wickets as Matthew Wade smashed 41 from just 17 balls to see them home with an over to spare.
T20 World Cup final: New Zealand vs Australia
12:54 , Lawrence Ostlere
Australia and New Zealand are meeting in the T20 World Cup final for what is an historic encounter in Dubai. Neither country have ever won the tournament, with Australia having reached the final once before where they lost to England in 2010, and New Zealand never having reached the final.
New Zealand saw off England in the semi-finals on Wednesday with a late onslaught courtesy of Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, while Australia’s victory over the previously unbeaten Pakistan mirrored the Kiwis’ win as Matthew Wade smashed and ramped the Australians to their target with an over to spare. The two matches demonstrated the importance of batting second in the shortest format of the game, and the toss could again prove crucial here today.
The two teams have met in 14 T20 internationals before this match and Australia firmly have the edge in that record, with nine victories and five defeats. However it was New Zealand who took victory in the only previous T20 World Cup meeting between the pair.
