Australia beat NZ in rain-curtailed 3rd T20I, register 3-0 sweep
Australia registered a 3-0 clean sweep over hosts New Zealand following a 27-run triumph (DLS method) in the third and final T20I in Auckland. It was a rain-curtailed affair which saw NZ pursuing a revised target of 126 runs in 10 overs. The Australian bowlers operated brilliantly amid tough circumstances as the Kiwis fell short. Here are further details.
Here is how Australia's innings panned out
Though the Aussies lost opener Steve Smith (4) cheaply, Travis Head (33) and Matthew Short (27) made great use of the powerplay overs. The latter departed on the last ball of the sixth over with the scorecard reading 67/2. Glenn Maxwell (20) and Josh Inglis (14*) played cameos as Australia were 118/4 in 10.4 overs when rain concluded their innings.
Summary of the second innings
Though both NZ openers Finn Allen (13) and Will Young (14) attacked from the outset, they could not last long. Tim Seifert (2) missed out as the scoring rate went up. Although Glenn Phillips (40* off 24 balls) showcased some fight, Mark Chapman (17* off 15 balls) could not provide the required support from the other end. NZ finished at 98/3.
An all-round show from Matthew Short
Short received the Player-of-the Match award for his all-round show in the game. With the help of three sixes and a boundary, he scored 27 off 11 balls while batting at three. The off-spinner then struck in his first over and dismissed Young. He finished with 2/33 in two overs. Short now owns 183 T20I runs (SR: 175.96) besides two wickets.
A fine cameo from Phillips
Phillips tried his best to take New Zealand over the line as he made an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes). He has now raced to 1,817 T20I runs at a stunning strike rate of 143.29. Against Australia, he has clobbered 217 runs with his strike rate being 143.70. 906 of his runs have come at home at 34.84 (SR: 154.60).
Third team to accomplish this feat
Meanwhile, Australia became the third visiting team to register a T20I series clean sweep against New Zealand in New Zealand (2 matches or more). While India thrashed them 5-0 in the 2020 series, England beat them 2-0 in the 2007-08 series. Overall, on NZ soil, Australia now have nine wins and four defeats against the home team.
