• Australia defeated New Zealand in the first T20I by 6 wickets.

  • Mitchell Marsh was named Player of the Match for his explosive batting performance.

Twitter reactions: Mitchell Marsh, Tim David sizzle as Australia clinch last-ball thriller against New Zealand in Wellington T20I
Australia beat New Zealand in the first T20I (Image Source: Twitter)

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The three-match T20I series between New Zealand and Australia kicked off with the opening T20I at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Wednesday. It is the last T20I battle for both sides before the highly-anticipated T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies in June. The opening match turned out to be a high-scoring affair which ended up being a nail-biter where the Aussies eventually registered a thrilling win by 6 wickets.

Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway blow away Australia

Opting to bat first, the Black Caps went on to post a massive total of 215/3 in their allotted 20 overs. Devon Conway and Finn Allen took their side off to a flyer with a stunning opening partnership. The duo added 61 runs in 5.2 overs before Mitchell Starc drew first blood by dismissing Allen for 32.

Conway continued attacking the Aussie bowling attack and was very well supported by young batting sensation Rachin Ravindra. The pair completely demolished the opponents with their explosive batting display, forming a breathtaking 113-run partnership for the second wicket.

Conway was dismissed after scoring 63 from 46 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes. Ravindra, on the other hand, smashed 68 off just 35 deliveries with the help of 2 fours and 6 humungous maximums.

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Mitchell Marsh keeps Australia in the game

In pursuit of the target, Australia came out with a strong batting performance. Travis Head provided a quick start with 24 runs off 15 balls along with David Warner, who smashed 32 off 20.

Captain Mitchell Marsh unleashed his power hitting and kept his team in the contest despite falling of wickets at the other end. Marsh stayed unbeaten on 72 off 44 with the help of 2 fours and 7 huge sixes. He was well supported by Tim David, who turned out to be the real finisher in the game.

Tim David takes his team over the finish line

New Zealand had pulled things in their favour when Australia needed 35 runs off the final two overs. That’s when David unleashed his explosive batting display and helped Australia collect 19 runs from the penultimate over bowled by Adam Milne.

With 16 to win off the last 6 balls, New Zealand’s experienced campaigner Tim Southee did his best to contain the run flow by conceding only 3 runs off the first three deliveries. However, David yet again ruined hosts’ plans and smashed 6, 2, and 4 off the final three balls to take Australia over the finish line.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

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AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.