Match Details

AUS vs NZ, 5th T20, AUS vs NZ 2021 live

143-3(15.3)

New Zealand won by 7 wickets

AUS

(20.0)142-8

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Commentary

So, that is it from me, Karthik Raj and my co-commentators, Aryasekhar Chakraborty and Kingshuk Kusari. Stay tuned to OneCricket's coverage of many such exciting encounters

Kane Williamson: Incredibly hard-fought series. Momentum shifts throughout. Outstanding to pick up some of those learnings that we were trying to in the series. It's about the cricket that we want to play. We know how strong a side Australia is, they showed it in the last two games. We just wanted to improve our game. To some extent, we got exposed in the last game on that pitch. So it was nice to bounce back today. When you're playing three games on the same surface, you get a better idea of how to go about things. It's been a great series to be part of and I'd like to congratulate the Australian team for coming to our shores.

Aaron Finch: We probably weren't aggressive enough with the bat. We let them dictate terms and didn't get enough runs. Probably was the difference in the game. If one of us kicked on, could have got to 160-170. I thought the pitch played quite well today. It was slightly better today than the other day I thought. We have been talking about the gradual improvement from game 1 to game 4, and that was exciting. Would have been great to win the series but NZ are a great team. It was great to have the fans back after missing out in the last two matches

Ish Sodhi: In these conditions, you have to be as aggressive as possible. Thankfully, the big boys do a great job at the start to let us do our job in the middle overs. Adaptability was the key. It did hold a bit and turn last game, today it played better I think and that played into our hands. Always nice to get wickets, main thing is to build pressure and that's where I'm thankful to Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner. Glenn Maxwell's wicket was key

Ish Sodhi has been named as the 'Player of the Series'

Martin Guptill: It certainly was (about the intent). We took a backward step last game and wanted to change that today. Devon has opened a lot of Wellington and he was brilliant today. It was nice to spend a bit of time there and I pushed on later. Trusting to get enough on the bat is the key (behind his six-hitting).

Time for the presentation ceremony. Martin Guptill has been named as the 'Player of the Match'

Despite this clinical run-chase, majority of the credit should go to Williamson's captaincy and the consistency showcased by his bowlers. The spinners exploited a helpful surface while the experienced duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult also did a fairly good job at the death to restrict Australia to just 142/8.

Australia were also handicapped by the fact that Adam Zampa never got his lengths right. In fact, Guptill got stuck into him and smashed three massive sixes in a 23-run 9th over. The opening duo also brought their 100-run partnership before Riley Meredith struck twice in two balls to send back Conway and the Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson. A couple of overs later, Guptill also made the way back after a fine 71-run knock but it proved too little too late for the Aussies. In the end, Glenn Phillips rounded his cracking cameo by smashing a couple of sixes off Zampa's third over to get across the line.

What an emphatic way to win the match and also seal the series!! New Zealand wrap up this match with seven wickets and 27 balls to spare. Australia were definitely 15-20 runs short and they needed a quick start but that didn't seem coming at all. After a relatively conservative start, both Martin Guptill and Devon Conway opened their arms and took the attack to the Australian seamers and also Ashton Agar who bowled a couple of overs in the Powerplay.