Australia hammer NZ in high-scoring 1st T20I: Key stats
What's the story
Australia accomplished the 182-run target in the opening T20I against New Zealand without breaking a sweat. Captain Mitchell Marsh led the Aussies with a fiery 85 as the visitors (185/4) crossed the line in just 16.3 overs at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. Earlier in the game, Tim Robinson hammered a ton to help his team post 181/6. Here are the key stats.
NZ innings
Ton-up Robinson rescues NZ
The Kiwis were off to a horrible start, having been reduced to 6/3. However, Robinson's 92-run partnership alongside Daryl Mitchell (34) rescued the team. The former further dominated a 64-run stand with Bevon Jacobs (20) as NZ posted a brilliant 181-6. Robinson completed his hundred in the penultimate delivery before hammering the final ball for a six.
Robinson
Third 50-plus score in T20Is for Robinson
Robinson smoked five sixes and six fours en route to his whirlwind 106* of 66 balls. This was his maiden hundred and a third 50-plus score in T20Is, which has taken his tally to 384 runs from 13 games at 38.4 (SR: 137.63). Overall in T20 cricket, Robinson hammered his second T20 hundred (50s: 7).
Feats
Robinson registers these feats
Aged 23y 156d, Tim Robinson became the second youngest NZ batter to hit a T20I hundred, as per Cricbuzz. He is now only behind Finn Allen, who did that at 23y 96d vs Scotland (Edinburgh, 2022). Robinson also became just the third NZ batter to score a T20I ton against the Aussies. He joined legends Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill.
Information
Do you know?
NZ's 181/6 is the second-highest score for a team after losing three wickets inside 10 runs in a Men's T20Is. PNG's 206/7 vs Singapore (from 5/3) in 2022 tops this list. The previous-highest for a full-member side was Sri Lanka's 171/7 vs Ireland in 2021.
Chase
Marsh leads the run chase
The Aussies were off to a phenomenal start with openers Marsh and Travis Head (31) adding 67 runs in just 5.3 overs before the latter departed. The former further added 68 runs with Matthew Short (29), knocking NZ out of the contest. While Marsh departed for 85, Tim David returned unbeaten on 21 the Aussies (185/4) prevailed in just 16.3 overs.
Bowlers
Pick of the bowlers from both teams
Ben Dwarshuis was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, taking two wickets for 40 runs in his four overs. Josh Hazlewood and Matthew Short chipped in with a wicket each. For NZ, Matt Henry returned with 2/43 from four overs. Zakary Foulkes and Kyle Jamieson dismissed one batter each.
Marsh
Marsh smokes his third T20I fifty versus NZ
Marsh departed for 85 off 43 balls as he slammed five sixes besides nine fours. Across 74 T20Is, he has raced to 1,884 runs at a strike rate of 137.92 (93 sixes). His tally includes 11 half-centuries. This was his third T20I fifty versus the Kiwis, which has taken his tally to 367 runs at 45.87.
Records
Australia register these records
Australia won the game with 21 balls to spare. There have been only two other instances of a team accomplishing a 180-plus target in T20Is with more balls remaining. 24 - PAK vs NZ, Auckland, 2025 (Target: 205) and 23 - AUS vs WI, Basseterre, 2025 (Target: 215). Australia now won 15 of their 17 T20Is post the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.