T20 World Cup: NZ hoard a daunting 200/3 against Australia
Reigning champions Australia need 201 runs to win Saturday's Super 12 clash of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Finn Allen's fiery innings set the stage for NZ before Devon Conway (92*) took over. New Zealand managed 87 runs in the middle-overs at the expense of two wickets but a solid finish got them through (200/3). For Australia, Josh Hazlewood (2/41) was the best bet.
Allen lights up SCG!
Despite playing his maiden ICC event, Allen punished the Aussie attack on offer. He smacked two fours and a six off Mitchell Starc in the first over. Allen took Pat Cummins to the cleaners before Hazlewood's yorker drew curtains to his stay. He tonked a 16-ball 42, hitting five fours and three sixes. He has gone past 500 runs (511), striking at 166.99.
Seventh T20I fifty for Conway
Conway toyed his way to a 35-ball 49 before dispatching a maximum off Adam Zampa, thereby nothing his seventh T20I fifty. He also breached the 1,000-run mark (1,033) in the format, averaging 57.38. As per Cricbuzz, he is now the joint-second fastest in terms of innings alongside Babar Azam (26). Meanwhile, England's Dawid Malan and Czech Republic's Sabawoon Dawizi (24 innings) lead the show.
New Zealand ace the powerplay
Allen and Conway wasted no time as they hammered the Aussies left, right, and center. The pair fetched a startling 56-run stand for the opening wicket, eventually piloting the Kiwis to 65/1 by the end of powerplay. As per Cricbuzz, it remains NZ's highest-ever score in Powerplay in T20 WC, bettering their previous best of 58/0 against Australia in 2016.
Another lacklustre innings from Williamson
Williamson put up a sluggish effort, comprising a 23-ball 23 (4s:1). Barring a fifty against Pakistan in the tri-series final, there haven't been many eye-catching performances by the Kiwi skipper of late. His last five scores read 31(30), 30(29), 9*(9), 59(38), and 23(23).
Highest-ever score in T20 World Cup
As per Cricbuzz, New Zealand's 200/3 is now their best-ever score in an innings in T20 World Cup. Their second and third-best tallies read 198/5 vs Ireland (2009, Nottingham) and 191/3 vs Bangladesh (2012, Pallekele).
