Marsh powers Australia to victory over New Zealand in T20 World Cup final

Australia have become men’s Twenty20 World Cup champions for the first time after Mitchell Marsh and David Warner overpowered New Zealand.

Injured and maligned for much of his career, Marsh made his transition complete, blazing an unbeaten 77 from 50 balls as Australia won by eight wickets with seven balls to spare in Dubai on Monday morning (ADST).

Australia’s captain Aaron Finch raises T20 World Cup trophy.Credit: AP

Player of the final, Marsh combined with Warner (53 from 38 balls) for a match-winning 92-run partnership inside 10 overs as Australia charged to 2-173 for victory.

Captain Aaron Finch was overjoyed his side had been able to claim the elusive title.

“The first Australian team to be able to do it,” Finch said. “I’m so proud of the way the guys went about it for the whole campaign. They were brilliant from the start.

“It’s awesome, it really is. There’s been so much talk about this one being elusive to Australia, and to be fair we’ve probably underperformed in the past if we’re being honest with ourselves. We’ve had some great teams along the way.”

Mitchell Marsh celebrates with Glenn Maxwell after securing the T20 World Cup for Australia.Credit: Getty Images

The winner of five 50-over World Cups, Australia’s Twenty20 cricket had always been patchy, making just one final in 2010 to be beaten by England.

They were unfancied going into this tournament after sliding to seventh in the ICC rankings and looked in danger of missing the semi-finals after a dismal loss to early favourites England.

“We knew our backs were against the wall and if you keep putting people’s backs against the wall enough you’re going to fight,” Finch said. “We had some great individual performances and great team performances. It was fantastic.”

He admitted winning six of seven tosses in the tournament played a significant factor, with all the teams batting second in the major matches winning, bar one.

“It did play a big factor, to be honest,” Finch said. “I tried to play it down as much as I could because at some point I thought I was going to lose a toss and we’d have to bat first but it did play a big part.

“At the end there with the dew factor, the slower balls weren’t holding in the wicket as much.”

A determination to play with greater intent following the England game, including restoring Marsh to the pivotal No.3 position, saw Australia storm through the second half of the tournament.

Marsh reinforced the approach by hammering his first ball of the final for six with a pull shot deep into the crowd.

“I just wanted to get out there and have a presence,” Marsh said. “Big Marcus Stoinis always talks about having a presence and getting into the contest. That allows me to go out there and play my game.

“I just can’t believe it, it’s unbelievable.”

Warner put a difficult IPL behind him by becoming the second-highest run-scorer at the Twenty20 World Cup with 289 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 146 to be named player of the tournament.

“There was a little bit of nerves around with a good total on the board in a final. It was just great to see the guys deliver,” Warner said.

He believes he was playing well despite a run of low scores in the IPL and the T20 World Cup practice matches.

“For me it was about just going back to basics, getting on hard synthetic wickets and hitting volumes of balls. I managed to do that and get out here and score some runs.”

Warner ranked the victory with Australia’s 2015 50-over World Cup win over New Zealand.

“It’s right up there,” Warner said.

“Being part of the (losing) World Cup (Twenty20) final against England a decade ago really hurt.”

Marsh finished as Australia’s second-highest run-scorer with 185 at 62 and a strike rate of 147.

“What an amazing six weeks with this group of men, I absolutely love them to death. What can I say? World champs,” Marsh said.

Australia set the match up in the bowling power play thanks to their strategy of playing three front-line fast bowlers, restricting New Zealand to 1/57 in the power play.

Josh Hazlewood was outstanding after a difficult semi-final, claiming 3-16, while it was Mitchell Starc’s turn for a tough game, conceding 60 runs without taking a wicket.

Leg spinner Adam Zampa continued his consistency, taking 1-26 to be the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 13 at an average of just 12 and an economy rate of 5.8.

Finch thought he should have been player of the series.

New Zealand’s competitive total was set up by captain Kane Williamson, who scored 85 from just 48 balls after being dropped on 21.

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