Australia win T20 World Cup, beat New Zealand by eight wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium

Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor

Australia won their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The eight-wicket victory was fashioned so emphatically that New Zealand didn’t even have a sniff of a chance in the final. David Warner’s 38-ball 53 and Mitchell Marsh’s unbeaten 77 in 50 balls helped Australia chase down New Zealand’s total of 172 with 1.1 overs to spare.

After New Zealand were put to bat, skipper Kane Williams struck a 47-ball 85 to steer his side to 172/4 in 20 overs after being dropped on 21. New Zealand crawled to 32/1 at the end of powerplay and were 57/1 in 10 overs before Williamson took charge. But the total was never enough on a good batting track

AUSTRALIA WIN BY EIGHT WICKETS!

It's all over. Australia win their first T20 World Cup. They win by eight wickets as they finish at 173/2 in 18.5 overs

Victory is 11 runs away for Australia...

And they have 12 balls to reach the target. 162/2 in 18 overs. There's only one winner in this match. And that's Australia.

14 needed from 18 balls

Boult missed a caught and bowled chance off Marsh. But it wouldn't have mattered with Australia powering away to the target. 14 needed from 18 balls. 159/2 in 17 overs

Australia are now toying with the New Zealand bowling. They need only 17 from 21 balls. 156/2 in 16.3 overs

15 overs - Aus 136/2 (Target 173 - Australia need 37 from 30 balls)

The fall of Warner hasn't slowed the Aussie march. Victory is 37 runs away and they have 5 overs to do it. Marsh has been severe on the bowlers and Glenn Maxwell too joined in this Milne over. 136/2 in 15 overs

50 for Marsh

The second fifty for Australia. He reaches the landmark by launching Sodhi straight into the stands. Marsh is relentless. Australia need 50 in 39 balls.

OUT!

Warner at 53 is bowled by Trent Boult. Here's New Zealand's chance to stage a comeback. Australia are 107/2 in 12.2 overs

100 up for Australia

Marsh's pull falls short of the fielder at square leg, as Australia's 100 is up. Nine runs from Santer's over and Australia need 67 from 48 balls.

11 overs - Aus 97/1 (Target 173 - need 76 from 54 balls)

Jimmy Neesham's over was costly. 16 runs came from it, as Australia raced to 97/1 in 11 overs with Warner and Marsh helping themselves to a six each. Match has slipped out of New Zealand's grasp as Australia are chasing in masterly fashion.

50 for Warner

10 overs - Aus 81/1 (Target 173 - Australia need 91 from 60 balls)

Santner restricts the scoring to five from the over, but still no sign of a wicket. Australia are 81/1 in 10 overs. The halfway mark of their innings. The Australian chase is on course.

9 overs - Aus 77/1 (Target 173)

Warner gives a hiding to Sodhi. Two fours and six and 17 runs come from the over. Australia are 77/1 in 9 overs. New Zealand need a wicket to pull it back.

8 overs - Aus 60/1 (Target 173)

Santner yields 10 runs, including a six to Mitchell Marsh. Australia are 60/1 in 8 overs

7 overs - Aus 51/1

Seven off Sodhi's first over. The Australians have refused to chance their arm with Warner and Marsh content to pick singles and an odd two. 51/1 in 7 overs. Now a double-spin attack. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santer joins the attack.

6 overs - Aus 43/1

Australia are 43/1 at the end of the powerplay. That's better than New Zealand. Now the spin test comes in the form of leggie Ish Sodhi.

Warner has picked up from where he left off against Pakistan. He deposits Southee over midwicket and Australia are cruising despite the loss of Aaron Finch.

41/1 in 5.1 overs

4 overs - Aus 30/1 (Target 173)

15 runs from the first four balls of the over as Adam Milne is smashed around by Marsh.

3 overs - Aus 15/1 (Target 173)

That was an excellent Trent Boult over.

OUT!

Finch departs for just 5, it's a huge wicket for New Zealand. Aus 15-1

2 overs - Aus 10-0 (Target 173)

Finch is off the mark but that inside edge just missed the stumps. It was an expensive over with 10 runs coming off it.

1 over - Aus 1/0 (Target 173)

Big appeal for lbw! Finch has a swing and a miss at Trent Boult's penultimate delivery. Kane Williamson says no...

So then, Australia need 173 to win their first Men's T20 World Cup trophy. Aaron Finch and David Warner are in the middle. Here we go...

Mid-match summary: Williamson lashes out in fine style

Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor

It was a Kane Williamson show at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final. The New Zealand skipper struck a 47-ball 85 to steer his side to 172/4 in 20 overs after being put in to bat by Australia. Josh Hazlewood was left to rue a dropped catch off Mitchell Starc when Williamson was on 21. After that, the Kiwi captain powered away at the Dubai International Stadium.

Starc came in for severe punishment. After New Zealand crawled to 32/1 at the end of powerplay and 57/1 in 10 overs, Williamson took charge and Starc’s two overs cost him 27 runs.

A target of 173 is well within Australia’s sights. But if New Zealand grab a couple of wickets in the powerplay, we could get a different result. This chase is going a super ride.

20 overs - NZ 172/4 - Australia need 173 to win T20 World Cup

Nine runs from the final Starc over. New Zealand finish at 172/4 in 20 overs. Can Australia reach 173? We shall find out soon.

OUT!

Williamson departs after a brilliant innings of 85 from 47 balls. It propelled New Zealand to 148. So double strike for Hazlewood.

149/4 in 18 overs

OUT!

Third New Zealand wicket falls. Glenn Phillips exits. Swings Hazlewood straight to midwicket.

144/3 in 17.2 overs

17 overs - NZ 144/2

Amid the Williamson blitzkrieg, Cummins bowls an 8-run over. New Zealand are 144/2 in 17 overs

16 overs - NZ 136/2

Williamson is leading the charge. Four fours and a superbly flicked six off Starc push New Zealand to 136/2 in 16 overs. The Aussies must be ruing that dropped catch. 22 runs from the Starc over.

15 overs - NZ 114/2

Glenn Phillips decided to have a go at Zampa, bowling his final over of the tournament. A six and a four materialised. Zampa finished with figures of 1-26. and New Zealand are 114/2 in 15 overs

BIG HIT!

50 for Williamson

Last 12 balls yielded only 22 runs. So Williamson decides to take on Maxwell. A one-handed shot flies over midwicket for six. And he follows it up with another six. That's Williamson's fifty. Hazlewood would be worried after dropping him at 21.

97/2 in 13 overs

OUT!

Zampa strikes. Just when New Zealand were shifting gears, Guptill's swipe landed in the hands of Stoinis at midwicket. 76/2 in 11.1 overs. Australia would want to rein in New Zealand with that wicket.

CATCH DROPPED!

Hazlewood spills the catch at fine leg off Williamson. Starc the bowler. The New Zealand captain celebrates with a pull to the midwicket boundary. Three fours in the over, and Starc has given away 19 runs in the over. New Zealand are stepping up the pace.

76/1 in 11 overs

OUCH!

10 overs - NZ 57/1

Six singles from the Zampa over. New Zealand are 57/1 in 10 overs. The halfway stage of the innings. New Zealand need to push on from here. So far, the wicket has played good. They need to post at least 160 on the board, if they hope to stifle the Australians.

Did Finch err in bringing on Marsh? It helped New Zealand break the shackles. The next over would tell us. And that's from leggie Zampa.

9 overs - NZ 51/1

Captain Finch introduces Mitchell Marsh into the attack when the New Zealand scoring has slowed down. Williamson seizes the opportunity to loft him down to extra cover for four. A boundary after a long time. And he follows it up with a pull to midwicket. 11 runs from the over, and it helped New Zealand come out of the shell. 51/1 in 9 overs

8 overs - NZ 40/1

Adam Zampa, Australia's most successful bowler in the tournament, joins the attack. Just three runs from the over. New Zealand are struggling to get the ball out of the square. 40/1 in 8 overs

7 overs - NZ 37/1

Maxwell gave away only five singles in the seventh over. The squeeze is on. New Zealand sare 37/1 in 7 overs

There's a decent crowd, despite the absence of any of the Asian teams in the final. Some Indians came into the stadium sporting the teams colours.

6 overs - NZ 32/1

Two runs off the Hazlewood over that included 5 dot balls to Kane Williamson. New Zealand are 32/1 at the powerplay. That's very tardy considering the good start. Looks like they are keen on preserving wickets. But then that's not Guptill style. 32/1 in 6 overs

5 overs - NZ 30/1

The Mitchell dismissal seemed to have slowed down New Zealand, who were going at a fair clip. Pat Cummins gave only two runs in his first over. 30/1 in 5 overs. Josh Hazlewood gets another over; his third. Reward for Mitchell's wicket. Finch is looking for more wickets.

OUT!

Josh Hazlewood strikes. Forces Mitchell to edge behind. That came soon after Guptill's superb backfoot cover drive for a four.

28/1 in 3.5 overs

3 overs - NZ 23/0

Third over, and Glenn Maxwell into the attack. Daryl Mitchell greets the off-spinner with a six straight six. And keeper Matthew Wade drops Guptill two balls later. A thick under edge. Lots of drama in the over. 23/0 in 3 overs

2 overs - NZ 13/0

Guptill as always looks to be in good touch. Pulls Josh Hazlewood to fine leg fence. And New Zealand move to 13/0 in 2 overs.

1 over - NZ 9/0

Good start for New Zealand with Martin Guptill unfurling a delectable square drive against Mitchell Starc. Looks like we might have a high scoring match. Well, it's still early days. 9/0 in 1 over.

Almost time...

Previous T20 World Cup winners

2007: India. 2009: Pakistan. 2010: England. 2012: West Indies. 2014: Sri Lanka. 2016: West Indies. 2021: ???

The Teams

Australia are unchanged but New Zealand have brought Tim Seifert in for Devon Conway who injured his hand while punching his bat...

New Zealand: Daryl Mitchell, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert(wk), Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smithm Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade(wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Australia win toss, elect to field

Welcome to the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium.

Australia won the toss and chose to field. Recent games show that chasing teams tend to win. The only team to buck the trend were the Chennai Super Kings who defended their total against the Kolkata Knight Riders to win the Indian Premier League 2021.

Can New Zealand emulate the feat of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side? Let's wait and watch.

Australia's talent, fighting spirit gives them edge in final

Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor

The new T20 World Cup winners will be crowned at the Dubai International Stadium today (Sunday). Will they be Australia or New Zealand? It’s too close to call.

The Australians have been a dominant side in the past couple of decades, but that sheen has worn off. But Aaron Finch’s team have shown that their talent and fighting spirit are intact, and those attributes have helped them make the final.

New Zealand, under Kane Williamson’s captaincy, are a transformed side. They made the 2019 World Cup final and won the World Test Championship. That makes them serious contenders, and they toppled pre-tournament favourites, India and England, en route to the final.

Predicting T20 winners is fraught with risk. Follow our live coverage to find out the new champions.