Opting to bat first, New Zealand invoked flashbacks from their drubbing of Australia at the 2022 T20 World Cup with Finn Allen and Devon Conway taking Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell to the cleaners early on. The Kiwis had raced to 59 in just five overs when Mitchell Marsh handed the ball to namesake Starc after his impressive opening over and the left-arm quick instantly delivered, sending Allen packing for a 17-ball blitz of 32 with his second ball. A brief lull followed as Rachin Ravindra struggled to get going and was stuck on 14 off 16 at the halfway stage, with the score 97/1, when the momentum flipped once again. The southpaw's onslaught saw Adam Zampa be dispatched beyond the fence four times across two overs as he got to his half-century off just 29 deliveries. Conway, meanwhile, reached the milestone himself from 34 balls to put behind an extended slump as the duo combined for 113 runs at a strike rate exceeding 175. Like albatrosses, Rachin and Conway departed to Pat Cummins and Marsh respectively on successive deliveries, paving the path for Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips to muscle 41 runs in the last four overs and take the score to 215/3.

David Warner and Travis Head took to the field in response for the first time as opening partners in T20Is but could not quite replicate their stunning record in the longer format as Adam Milne scalped the latter in the fourth over with 29 runs on the board. Unfettered, Warner and skipper Marsh smoked Tim Southee for 22 runs in the very next over to ensure a handsome powerplay score of 56/1. With the fielding restrictions lifted, Santner brought himself into the attack and was greeted by two huge hits from Warner but ultimately had the last laugh by dismissing the veteran three balls later. The incoming Glenn Maxwell ensured the wicket made no impact on the scoring rate with a brutal 25-run cameo off just 10 balls before succumbing to Lockie Ferguson's raw pace. Meanwhile, Marsh kept gunning at the other end to bring up a 29-ball fifty -- aided by a dropped chance from Glenn Phillips -- but Josh Inglis' run-a-ball 20 meant 43 runs were still required off the last three overs. Ferguson further tightened the screws by conceding just eight in the 18th over to end with exemplary figures of 1/23 but Tim David's ensuing 10-ball 32 eventually got the job done, including a vehement flick on the last ball of the game with four needed that went through a diving Phillips in a finsh for the ages.  

pic.twitter.com/TKSlCzHkYR

— Jas Pope (@jas_pope93438) February 21, 2024

Superb

TIM DAVID YOU ABSOLUTE STAR! BUY HIM A PINT! #NZvAUS

— Ash (@_hattrickash_) February 21, 2024

Bang bang

Thank you Tim David . You are the man. Much appreciated mate . Take a bow #NZvAUS

— Cricket Tamizhan (@CricketTamizhan) February 21, 2024

Power hitting

What. a. win.



Take a bow Tim

David!#NZvsAUS

— Menners 🎙 (@amenners) February 21, 2024