Australia was utterly dominated by their trans-Tasman rivals on Saturday, suffering its largest defeat in T20 World Cup history.
Revenge is sweet.
New Zealand has dominated trans-Tasman rivals Australia in its opening fixture of the T20 World Cup, taking down the reigning champions by 89 runs in front of 34,756 fans at the SCG on Saturday evening.
It was Australia's largest defeat in T20 World Cup tournaments and their biggest loss to New Zealand in men's T20I history.
The Black Caps outclassed Australia in every facet of the game - their batting was entertaining, their bowling was relentless and their fielding was, at times, extraordinary.
Catch the T20 World Cup Live on Kayo. Don't Risk Missing All Your Teams' Matches. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
It may not have necessarily been a perfect performance from the New Zealanders, but it was close.
“They have demolished the Australians ... that was an annihilation," former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson said in commentary.
"The Australians didn’t expect this at all.”
After Australian captain Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to field first in Sydney, Black Caps opener Finn Allen got the Kiwis off to a flyer by smacking a 16-ball 42 during the Powerplay.
Rarely has the experienced Australian pace attack been treated with such disdain, with 56 runs cracked from the opening four overs.
But after Allen’s dismissal in the fifth over, the scoring rate steadied in the middle overs as Australia’s seamers found their length.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson combined with opener Devon Conway for a 69-run partnership for the second wicket before Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa removed the rival skipper for 23 (23).
Player of the Match Conway finished unbeaten on 92 as the Kiwis registered 3/200 from their 20 overs, comfortably the team’s highest T20I score on Australian soil. It was also the first time New Zealand had scored 200+ in a Men's T20 World Cup.
Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing with 2/41 from his four overs.
Australia's run chase started poorly, losing three wickets in the Powerplay with opener David Warner departing in bizarre circumstances in the second over.
Tim Southee's first delivery of the tournament slapped into Warner's thigh guard off the inside edge before ricocheting off the back of his bat onto the stumps.
Wickets tumbled perpetually throughout Australia's innings, with none of the top-order batters finding any rhythm out in the middle.
The lone silver lining for Australia was a return to form, of sorts, for Glenn Maxwell, who top-scored with 28 (20).
Black Caps spinner Mitchell Santner put together a masterful performance, finishing with 3/31 from his four overs including the wickets of Finch (13), Marcus Stoinis (7) and Tim David (11), while Southee also snared three wickets.
The Australians never looked like coming close to chasing the 201-run target, ultimately rolled for 111, their lowest T20I total on home soil.
Finch's men will now essentially need to win six consecutive matches to defend their T20 World Cup title, but their current net run rate of negative 4.450 is worrying, to say the least.
“That’s a big loss in the context of the tournament. We were just totally outplayed in all three facets,” Finch told reporters in the post-match press conference.
“New Zealand came at us hard with the bat and their bowling was so disciplined, their fielding is always fantastic. It hurts.
“It hurts our net run rate. But you’ve still got to be positive. We still back ourselves to win four and you need a bit of luck along the way."
Australia will next face Sri Lanka at Perth Stadium on Tuesday evening, with the first ball scheduled for 10pm AEDT.
Matthew Wade is back in the sheds, and Australia's chances of victory are essentially zero.
The Australian wicketkeeper has been dismissed by New Zealand quick Lockie Ferguson, edging the ball to rival gloveman Devon Conway for 2 (4).
Pat Cummins comes to the middle with Australia 6/82.
Australia ambushed. Outplayed. Might be playing Green over Stoinis when they pick their best team? NZ having a night out in Sydney……
— jim maxwell (@jimmaxcricket) October 22, 2022
This is woeful from the Australians.
The reigning champions are crawling towards an embarrassing defeat in their tournament opener, with wickets tumbling quickly at the SCG.
T20 powerhouse Tim David has been dismissed by Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner, who snares his third scalp of the evening, caught at the mid-wicket boundary.
New Zealand's fielding has been remarkable this evening – their bowling and batting has been a class above the Australian as well.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, Australia's last recognised batter, joins Glenn Maxwell in the middle with 133 runs still required for victory.
The Kiwis can do no wrong at the SCG tonight.
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips has taken remarkable diving catch in the outfield to remove Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis for 7 (14) in the ninth over.
Stoinis slapped Black Caps spinner Mitchell Santner towards deep cover, but Phillips sprinted across the outfield and dived, somehow holding onto the catch.
"The more you look at the replay, it's one of the great catches of all time," SEN commentator Gerard Whateley said.
Tim David is the new man in the middle, with Australia needing a lower-order masterclass for any chance of victory.
#T20WorldCup #AUSvNZ
— Muhammad Yousaf (Anjum) (@yousafexpress) October 22, 2022
catch of the #T20worldcup22 pic.twitter.com/HsC1pRwm7V
Man, the amount of mayo I would have put on that.
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) October 22, 2022
A brilliant celebration but really could have gone all out.
Outrageous from Glenn Phillips. #T20WorldCup
Australian captain Aaron Finch is back in the sheds for 13 (11), removed for Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner cheaply during the Powerplay.
Finch scooped a regulation catch towards rival skipper Kane Williamson in the covers, bringing Glenn Maxwell to the middle.
But the Aussies were suddenly in dire straits when Mitchell Marsh departed the following over, dismissed by New Zealand seamer Tim Southee for 16.
The West Australian cracked the white Kookaburra high into the Sydney skyline, with Jimmy Neesham settling underneath the chance.
The hosts are 3/35 in the sixth over.
Well, that's a horrifically unlucky dismissal for David Warner.
New Zealand seamer Tim Southee has dismissed the Australian opener for 5 with his first delivery of the tournament, albeit in bizarre circumstances.
The ball slapped into Warner's thigh guard off the inside edge before ricocheting off the back of his bat onto the stumps.
The 35-year-old threw his head back in disbelief as New Zealand celebrated the fortuitous breakthrough.
"Warner can't believe it," commentator Mark Howard said.
Mitchell Marsh joins captain Aaron Finch in the middle.
Don't reckon I've ever seen that dismissal before. #T20WorldCup
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) October 22, 2022
That's unfortunate for Australia and David Warner… What a bizarre way to get out!!! Not a very good start to a difficult run chase.#T20WorldCup #AUSvNZ
— Umang Singh (@Umang_Singh14) October 22, 2022
David Warner and Aaron Finch are in the middle.
Trent Boult has the new Kookaburra in his hand.
201 to win.
The runs aren't flowing as quickly for New Zealand, and now Australian quick Josh Hazlewood has snared his second breakthrough of the night.
Glenn Phillips attempted a wild pull shot in the 16th over, with Hazlewood settling under the top edge and taking a comfortable catch.
Black Caps all-rounder Jimmy Neesham is the new man in the middle.
Adam Zampa gets the crucial breakthrough for Australia, removing rival captain Kane Williamson for 23 (23) in the 13th over.
Williamson, who was struggling to find the boundary rope at the SCG, attempted a reverse swap against the talented leg-spinner, only to be struck on the front pad.
A desperate review couldn't save the Kiwi.
Surely it was in NZ's interests for Williamson to be dismissed then regardless – lose the anchor and let the finishers have a proper crack. #T20WorldCup
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) October 22, 2022
Zampa may have done NZ an inadvertent favour there #T20WorldCup
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) October 22, 2022
Black Caps opener Devon Conway has brought up his half-century in 36 balls, bringing up the minor milestone with a huge six over mid-wicket.
It's the left-hander's seventh fifty in T20 internationals.
First fifty in Super 12 is by Devon Conway, 55* from 36 balls, it has been a fantastic knock.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 22, 2022
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and opening batter Devon Conway have combined for a fifty-run partnership to keep the Black Caps in a commanding position.
The Australians have bowled tighter lengths since the Powerplay, but are yet to unearth a second breakthrough.
The Kiwis are 1/111 in the 12th over, with Conway approaching his half-century.
Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign has been derailed despite the team’s comprehensive victory over Pakistan in Dubai.
South Australia’s new captain played a stirring innings to save his side as Test stars flexed their muscles on the final day of Shield action.
A Test bolter has emerged as Australian selectors face a nightmare scenario with a star all-rounder facing a long stint on the sidelines.