After two great semi-finals, we are just a day away from a grand final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup as New Zealand prepares to lock horns with their neighbors Australia.
The teams played another final six years ago and that didn't go as planned for the Kiwis. However, this time, in a shorter format with both teams almost equally matched, it will be intriguing to see how the teams turn up to the occasion.
But do you have any idea about the results in the last five meetings when the sides played each other? Don't worry, we at Cricwizz will be discussing their last five meetings in-depth and see if a team will have the upper hand going into the finals.
The teams have played just once in the T20 World Cup so let's first recall how that meeting panned out.
New Zealand vs Australia (2016 T20 World Cup)
In 2016, when the sixes faced each other, New Zealand won the toss and were batting first. New Zealand didn't have the best day with the bat and concluded their innings with 142/8.
Martin Guptill was the highest scorer for the Kiwis, scoring 39, while Kane Williamson scored 24. Grant Elliott played a fine knock of 27* and helped New Zealand hover around the 150 mark.
Australia were chasing 143 and even they couldn't bat well as once again, an opener finished as the innings top scorer.
Australia succumbed to a fantastic New Zealand bowling attack, managing to score just 134, losing nine wickets as the Kiwis won the match by eight runs.
Mitchell McClenaghan was the star with the bowl as he picked three wickets in just three overs, giving just 17 runs.
New Zealand are up with the lead! New Zealand 1 Australia 0.
Since the sides have played just once in T20 World Cups, we will now analyze their last four T20I meetings.
New Zealand vs Australia (5th T20I March 7, 2021)
Australia were touring New Zealand and had won the toss. They decided to bat first and registered a total of 142 (what a coincidence!).
Aaron Finch scored 36, Matthew Wade scored 44, while Marcus Stoinis' 26 helped them to reach the total. For New Zealand, Ish Sodhi picked three wickets.
New Zealand had the best possible start as Devon Conway scored 36, while Martin Guptill played a fantastic knock of 71. New Zealand lost three wickets in a quick span of three overs but the damage was done and a calm innings by Glenn Phillips was enough to see them through.
New Zealand won by 7 wickets and have doubled the lead. New Zealand 2 Australia 0.
New Zealand vs Australia (4th T20, March 5, 2021)
Australia had won the toss once again and were batting first. Australia scored 179/6, with the skipper Aaron Finch playing a gem of an innings, scoring an unbeaten 79. No other batsman managed to cross even 20.
Ish Sodhi was again the pick of the Kiwi bowlers as he picked three wickets.
For New Zealand, no batsman managed to settle and keep the scoreboard ticking. New Zealand were dismantled by Australia and only Kyle Jamieson managed to score 30 as the Kiwi innings was summed up in the 19th over.
Australia won the match by 50 runs, courtesy of Finch's batting and brilliant spells from Kane Richardson, Ashton Agar and Glenn Maxwell.
Australia open their account! The score is
New Zealand 2 Australia 1.
New Zealand vs Australia (3rd T20, March 3 2021)
New Zealand had won the toss and elected to bowl first. Australia punished the Kiwi bowling and scored 208 in 20 overs, losing just four wickets.
Finch scored 69, Josh Philippe scored 43, while Glenn Maxwell scored 70 off just 31 balls. The pressure of chasing 200 is never easy and New Zealand couldn't deal with it.
They were all out for just 144, with Guptill and Conway being the major contributors, scoring 43 and 38. New Zealand needed someone to bat deep like Finch and Maxwell but it wasn't possible this time.
Ashton Agar bowled the spell of his life, picking six wickets for just 30 runs and tore the Kiwi batting. Australia won the match by 64 runs and guess what?
It's all square. New Zealand 2 Australia 2.
New Zealand vs Australia (2nd T20, Feb 25, 2021)
Australia had won the toss and were bowling first. The New Zealand top order batted exceptionally except Tim Seifert. Guptill scored 97, Williamson scored 53, while Jimmy Neesham scored 45 off just 16 deliveries.
The Kiwi finished their innings at 219. The game went down to the wire as Australia had a befitting reply ready and they batted with everything they had.
Philippe scored 45, Stoinis scored 78, and Daniel Sams scored 41 but the fine margins went in New Zealand's way as they won the match by four runs. The difference-maker was Mitchell Santner as he picked four wickets for just 31 runs in a game where every bowler was thrashed.
New Zealand are back! The score is New Zealand 3 Australia 2.
This series was a 5-match series and we would have analyzed the first T20I as well but the fact that New Zealand won that match too, doesn't affect the scoreline and the fact that New Zealand are dominating when the recent meetings are compared.
Both the teams qualified for the finals in style and it will be great to see which team lifts their maiden ICC T20 World Cup trophy.
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