New Zealand vs Australia, AUS in NZ, 3 T20I Series, 2024 Full score card

FOUR! Boundary of an inside edge but the Kiwis lose this by 27 runs. Fuller one sliding down leg, Mark Chapman gets an inside edge racing past the keeper to his right for a boundary towards fine leg.

Yorker in middle, Mark Chapman drives this through extra-cover for a couple.

Low full toss on leg, Glenn Phillips smashes this to long on for a single.

Short of a length outside off, Mark Chapman slaps this to long on and takes a single.

Too full in middle, Glenn Phillips slogs this towards long on for a single.

SIX! Full and wide of off, Glenn Phillips launches this out of the park over the sight screen for a maximum.

Matthew Short to bowl the last over of the chase. The game has already drifted away from New Zealand's reach as they need 43 off the last over now.

Yorker on leg, Glenn Phillips pushes this towards square leg and takes a single.

FOUR! On a length around the pads, Glenn Phillips flicks this wide of the short fine fielder and gets a boundary.

BYE! Full and wide outside off, Mark Chapman swings and misses again. Glenn Phillips gets to the other end quickly. Matthew Wade aims at the stumps but misses.

Low full toss on off, Glenn Phillips drills this to long on for a single.

BYE! Back of a length around off, Mark Chapman swings and misses but Glenn Phillips was off the blocks quickly as he raced to the other end for a single.

On a length outside off, Mark Chapman clears his front leg and swings wildly but misses out.

Nathan Ellis to bowl the penultimate over.

FOUR! Attempted yorker goes wrong, Glenn Phillips stands his ground and smashes this over mid off for a boundary.

Hits the hard length at good clicks, Glenn Phillips looks for the pull but gets late to it and misses.

Full and wide outside off, Glenn Phillips looks to reach at it but misses. A tight call goes in favor of the bowler.

LEG BYE! Yorker on pads, Mark Chapman looks to slog this one but the ball sneaks past his bat and hits his pads as the run a single.

Chapman misses out as that was there to be hit. On a length around the pads, Mark Chapman misses the flick and the ball drops after a deflection off his pads.

FOUR! Carved away for four. Full and wide outside off, Mark Chapman slices this wide of the short third fielder for four. A much, much needed boundary for Kiwis.

Mitchell Starc (1-0-7-0) is back into the attack.

Another tight over from Spencer Johnson. Short-pitched in middle, Mark Chapman pulls this towards cow corner for a single. Singles and doubles won't really matter to Australia at the moment as the game is pretty much under their control now.

Short-pitched in middle, Glenn Phillips pulls this towards deep backward square leg for a single.

The game is drifting further away from the Kiwis with the boundaries being dried up. On a length around off, Mark Chapman chops this onto his pads and takes a single.

WIDE! Too full and wide of off. Chapman leaves it.

Pitched up on off, Mark Chapman moves to his leg and drives this through extra-cover for couple.

Short-pitched on leg, Glenn Phillips tow poked it towards square leg for a single.

LEG BYE! On a length going down leg, Mark Chapman deflects this off he thigh pad towards off for a single.

Spencer Johnson replaces Nathan Ellis.

FOUR! Bad luck for the bowler but this was badly needed for the Kiwis. Tossed up in middle, Glenn Phillips inside edges this racing past the short fine fielder for a boundary. Still a steep slope to climb as 68 runs are required of the last 4 overs.

Quicker one wide of off, Glenn Phillips leaves it expecting a wide but the umpire calls it a fair one.

Tossed up in middle, Mark Chapman inside edges this towards deep square and takes a single.

Short of a length in middle, Glenn Phillips swivels and smashes this to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Wrong'un on off, Mark Chapman dabs it to point and takes a single.

Mark Chapman is in at number 5.

OUT! TAKEN! The misery ends for Finn Allen as he departs. Short of a length turning away from the batter, Finn Allen looks for the wild slog towards leg but ends up hitting it off the toe and ballooning this over Mitchell Starc at point. Starc settles underneath and takes a good catch. New Zealand are now in deep trouble as they have lost their top-order halfway at the chase.

FOUR! Glenn Phillips gets lucky but he wouldn't mind one bit. Pitched up outside off again, Glenn Phillips swings hard and slices this off the edge flying over short third for a boundary.

DEJA VU! Swinging hard and missing for the fourth time in succession. On a length wide of off, Glenn Phillips swings hard but misses again.

That's a beauty! Away swinging wide yorker, Glenn Phillips fails to get any part of his bat behind this one. Three dots on a trot.

Swing and a miss. On a length wide of off, Glenn Phillips looks for the square cut and gets beaten again.

Short and wide outside off, moved away a bit from the batter. Glenn Phillips looks to reach at it and cut this one but gets beaten.

Slower one sipping on the batter, Finn Allen rolls this towards long on and jogs off to the other end.

Quick changes. Nathan Ellis replaces Spencer Johnson.

Glenn misses out as he cuts a wide one straight to backward point for no run.

SIX! It's landed in the top tier and Glenn Phillips is smoking. Fuller in the slot for Glenn Phillips. Glenn crouches low and slog sweeps this way over the fence towards deep mid-wicket region for a gigantic maximum.

No timing at all from Finn Allen. Short of a length outside off, Finn Allen slaps his off the bottom towards loong on for a single.

Tossed up on off, Glenn Phillips pushes this away towards long off for a single this time.

FOUR! Flat and hard for four. Tossed up on off, Glenn Phillips used his power and smashes this straight down the ground towards long on for four.

Too full and in middle, Finn Allen rolls it to deep mid-wicket region for a single.

Adam Zampa replaces Matthew Short.

OH JEEZ! This has flown off the deck evading both the batter and the keeper for four byes. On a length in middle, skids and climbs on the batter and cuts him in half. The ball keeps climbing and goes past the keeper in a flash as well.

OUT! TAKEN! Spencer Johnson has deceived Tim Seifert by the pace. Short-pitched again and on off, Tim Seifert connects off the cue end and lobs it towards Josh Inglis at extra-cover. Josh Inglis backpaddles and takes a good catch. Well, Seifert had no option but to attack and he falls playing it closer to the body. The Kiwis are in a bit of a struggle here with two wickets down. Spencer Johnson is bowling absolute guns here.

Glenn Phillips is in at number 4.

WIDE! Fuller one down leg, Tim Seifert looks for the ramp shot but misses.

This is some serious pace from Spencer Johnson and Tim Seifert was late by a day to it. Short-pitched in middle, Tim Seifert goes for the pull and misses.

Short-pitched, bodyline, Finn Allen walks down the track and goes for the pull. Connects off the sticker but lands it safely towards deep on leg for a single.

Good length in middle, and leg, Tim Seifert clears his front leg and drills this towards mid on for a single.

On a length around length, Tim Seifert swings and gets it off the inside of his bat towards short fine leg for no run.

Spencer Johnson replaces Mitchell Starc

SIX! Finn Allen finally connects one from the meat of his bat. Short of a length in middle, Finn Allen swivels and smashes this out of the park over the fielder patroling the deep square fence foo a maximum.

Tossed up in middle, Tim Seifert tucks it gently towards mid-wicket and takes a single.

OUT! The ploy to hand Matthew Short the new ball works as he removes Will Young from the middle. Nicely tossed up on off, Will Young shimmies down the track and looks to loft this hard over the infield and loses his shape in that process, and ends up getting a leading edge towards the fielder at short third for his dismissal. Australia get their first wicket.

Tim Seifert is in at number 3.

WIDE! Floats one wide down leg, Will Young looks to innovate and scoop this but misses.

FOUR! Arm-delivery in middle, Will Young shuffles a bit to his leg and drills this back past the bowlers left hand for a boundary straight down the ground.

Short of a length on leg, Will Young edges this off just in front of cover and survives.

SIX! Great start from Young as he takes on the off-spinner straight away. Tossed up around off, Will Young slog sweeps this over deep square region for a maximum.

Matthew Short to bowl the second over.

WOAH! Finn Allen gets lucky. Inswinging yorker from Mitchell Starc starting on off, Finn Allen goes for the wild heave but edges this onto his pads for nothing.

LEG BYE! Pitched up on the pads, Will Young misses out on a flick and a boundary opportunity as the ball rolls off his pads towards short fine for a single.

FOUR! Up and over for four. Overcooked around off, Will Young stands still, presents the full face of his bat and gets it off the bottom but gets enough on this to take it past the fence after a couple of bounce towards long off.

Good length outside off, Will Young looks to push at it away from his body but gets late to it as the ball sails to the keeper.

Sliced away for 3. Pithed up on off, Finn Allen slices this up and over point for three runs to start proceedings here.

Good start from Starc as he flies this past the outside edge of Finn Allen. On a length angling across the batter, Finn Allen swings wild and misses.

Flighted ball around off and middle channel, Josh Inglis half-squats again and mistimes it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Uh oh, it is drizzling again, and now even more heavily. Another stoppage and we may lose more overs now.

Short and on the stumps, Josh Inglis pulls it to backward square leg for a brace.

On a good length outside off, Tim David half-squats and drags it flatly to long on for one.

SIX! David gets into the act now! Flighted ball around the stumps on a fuller length, Tim David gets under it and thumps it over long on for a maximum. Not an ideal start to the over for Sodhi.

SIX! BANG! Full and outside off, Josh Inglis gets ahead and times it perfectly before lofting it inside out over extra cover for a huge biggie. This was a maximum on any ground in the world as it was hit with solid power and timing.

On a length outside off, Inglis leaves it alone.

Flats it up on a good length, Josh Inglis cuts it to deep backward point for a double.

Slower through the air, Inglis goes for a cut and misses.

100 up for Aussies! Around the wicket on a fullish length on off, Tim David drives it to deep point for one.

Tim David walks out next to bat.

OUT! TAKEN! This time Sodhi makes no mistake! Australia lose Head on 33. Santner drops a flighted delivery outside off on a fuller length, Travis Head gets down on a knee looking for a big slog sweep over the leg side, but he is too early on his shot and the ball catches the leading edge which flies straight up in the air before landing into the hands of Sodhi stationed at short third man. Mitchell Santner gets a wicket in his 100th T20 International.

Around the wicket on a fuller length at off, Travis Head punches it to long off for one to end the over. A good over from Clarkson.

On a good length and a slower ball at the stumps, this is flicked by Inglis to deep mid-wicket for one.

Continues from over the wicket on a length outside off, Josh Inglis times it with perfection through cover-point. Adam Milne runs to his left from covers and stops the ball before the ropes. Keeps it to a brace. Good effort.

UPDATE - 7.36 am IST (2.06 am GMT) - It is going to be a 15-over contest now.

UPDATE - 7.24 am IST (1.54 am GMT) - We have a positive update as the covers are being peeled off from the center in Auckland. We look all set to begin proceeding sooner provided no further rain.

UPDATE - 6.55 am IST (1.25 am GMT) - Just when the covers were getting peeled off from the pitch, it started drizzling again and the pitch is being covered again with some extra sheets of covers being rolled in now. And unfortunately, we are just a few minutes away from the deduction of overs.

UPDATE - 6.35 am IST (1.05 am GMT) - It has started to rain again and the umpires have called for covers again.

OUT! TAKEN! Josh Clarkson gets his maiden T20I wicket and that too, of the Big Show, Maxi. Maxwell tries to be extra creative on this one but fails to execute it properly. Fuller and on the stumps angling in from middle to the leg stump, Glenn Maxwell tries to weirdly ramp it behind square but ends up slicing it instead getting no real timing on it. The ball spoons up taking the toe-end of the wood in the overcast sky over deep square leg. Will Young runs in and settles under the ball at deep backward square leg and reverse cups it easily. Maxwell was looking too good but couldn't stay for long in the middle trying to be extra cheeky. Australia are three down now.

FOUR! Innovative and gets the result! Over the wicket on a length on top of off, Glenn Maxwell reverse sweeps it over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Clarkson starts off right on the money. Around the wicket and angling into the middle, Travis Head looks to work it to the leg side but fails to connect and wears on the pads before the ball rolls to the off side. They cross for a leg bye.

Josh Clarkson comes into the attack now.

Drops it fuller and on the stumps, Travis Head turns it to long on for a single. 11 runs from that over of the Kiwi skipper.

Darts on a length outside off, Travis Head misses to connect. Just inside the wide line.

Tossed up fuller and outside off, Glenn Maxwell leans forward and drives it past cover-point for a single.

WIDE! Way too outside off, this is signaled as a wide.

Full and on the stumps, Maxwell pushes it back to the bowler.

FOUR! This time he gets it away. On a length around off, Glenn Maxwell ramps it over short fine for a boundary.

FOUR BYES! Santner from around the wicket, drops it on a length on top of middle, Glenn Maxwell tries to switch hit to the off side but misses to connect. The ball defeats the keeper as well and races away to the fence.

Mitchell Santner comes into the attack.

Too full and on off, Travis Head squeezes it back to the bowler to end the over. Another over going for more than 10 runs.

Tossed up delivery around leg, Travis Head flicks it to short fine.

Flighted ball on the stumps, Glenn Maxwell mishits towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! No mercy whatsoever. Drops it full on the stumps, Maxi clears his front foot before depositing it over the long on fence for a biggie. That came right from the middle of his blade.

UPDATE - 6.18 am IST (12.48 am GMT) - Good news folks! The rain seems to have eased off as the covers are being ripped off from the center. The umpires are out in the middle too for assessment of the playing conditions. We are all set for live action from 6.25 am IST (12.55 am GMT)

UPDATE - 6.03 am IST (12.33 am GMT) - Uh-oh! The drizzle has got a bit heavier and the umpires have now asked for covers. The ground staff rushes in to cover the surface. The rain has picked the pace and it is drizzling heavily at Eden Park.

FOUR! That has been dropped too! Mark Chapman is having a hard time in the field today! Full and outside off, Glenn Maxwell gets ahead and smacks it to the right of long off. Mark Chapman runs from the long off region to his right and dives to catch it but fails to grab it. It ricochets from his hand and trickles away to the fence. The TV Umpire checks and confirms that the ball has bounced just before the ropes off Chapman's hand. A four then. But this is an ordinary display of fielding by the Kiwis going by their standards. This is the 7th dropped catch in this series so far and the third already in this match. Mitchell Santner looks extremely disappointed.

Full, at off, Travis Head gets ahead and flicks it to mid-wicket for one.

Glenn Maxwell walks out to bat at 4.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Finally, a catch has been pouched safely! Matthew Short walks back after wreaking havoc at Eden Park! On a hard length around off, Matthew Short looks to clear the fence again over deep mid-wicket but closes the bat's face early and the ball takes the leading edge. It balloons up in the air over the batter's head and Tim Seifert settles himself underneath it before safely grabbing it on the chest level. A quickfire innings of 27 off 11 rocks from Short comes to an end.  Ben Sears takes a sigh of relief as he sees the back of the dangerous Matthew Short.

Yorker on leg, Travis Head clears his front foot and drills it to mid on for a quick single.

FOUR! Boundaries are fluently flowing at the moment for the Aussies. Full, and at the stumps, Travis Head clears his front foot and swings across the line towards deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

SIX! Salt on the wounds! Short and around off, Head makes room and throws his bat at it, slashing it over backward point for a maximum. Head is looking more dangerous and unstoppable after being put down twice.

FIVE WIDES! Frustration clearly seen here. Bangs in short and over the batter's head, it shoots further after pitching and flies over the keeper for a boundary for five wides.

DROPPED! Would you believe it? Another chance goes begging. Now Ish Sodhi shells an absolute sitter, a much easier one than the previous! Ben Sears is smiling as he just cannot believe it. Angles in on the pads, Travis Head flicks it straight towards Ish Sodhi at short fine leg who makes a complete mess of it and drops. The ploy of bowling in this channel almost worked for New Zealand. Head has been dropped twice and it can be too dangerous for the Kiwis.

Angling across off on a length, Travis Head mistimes his pull to mid on.

On the pads and on a length, Travis Head flicks it off the back foot towards deep fine leg for a single to end the over. 15 runs from the fifth over.

Length ball on off, Matthew Short pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! Boy, this is some power-hitting! Short and outside off, Matthew Short stands tall on the bounce and properly whacks it over long on for another biggie. This is hit flat and strongly with a flat-bat.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Fuller in length and on off, Matthew Short with a little footwork ahead, clears the ropes over long off for a maximum. Hit with excellent timing and dumps it into the stands.

Steams in on a short length angling into the stumps, Matthew Short misses the tuck and gets a thud on the pad.

Over thw wicket on a length at the stumps, Travis Head pulls it in front of square and takes a single.

DROPPED! Oh dear! Nothing going right for New Zealand here. Short and outside off, Travis Head smashes the cut shot which carries straight to Josh Clarkson at backward point who shells it. One run taken. That should have been grabbed.

Yorker at 144 clicks, Travis Head tries to reach and squeeze it out but misses.

FOUR! Nice shot! The margin of error is too low for this man! Just on off and on a length, Travis Head drags it towards deep backward square leg for a boundary. Again, no timing on it but the outfield is laser quick.

Good comeback. On a length around off, Travis Head dabs it back to the pitch off the back foot.

Excellent stop from Phillips. That was smashed hard by Head. Outside off on a fuller length, Travis Head prods ahead and drives it hard straight to point.

Sears starts off on a length angling on the pads, Short whips off his pads towards deep backward square leg for a single.

Swing and a miss! Just outside off on a hard length, Travis Head swings inside the line of the ball and misses as the ball zips past his outside edge. Another expensive over from Boult. 13 runs from it.

Knuckle ball on a length at off, Matthew Short punches it to mid off for a single.

Stock ball for Boult, it angles into the pads from middle on a tad length, Travis Head attempts to slog and misses. It wears on his pads and trickles to the leg side. They cross for a leg bye.

A low full toss on leg, Matthew Short flicks it to deep mid-wicket and runs a single.

FOUR! This time he gets the timing right! Just on top of off on a nagging length, Matthew Short drives it past cover-point for a boundary. The ball races away to the fence in a blink. Boult has just not found his rhythm yet.

SIX! Not well timed but Short clears the fence! Boult bowls it on a length angling on off and middle, Matthew Short picks it up with no real timing on it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

On the back of a length outside off, knuckle ball this time, Head throws his bat at it and the ball whispers his outside edge before carrying to the keeper.

On a hard length at 129 clicks, Travis Head is cramped for room and plays it close to the body but blocks it off the back foot to the off side.

Attacking middle stump on a length, Matthew Short flicks it to mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

Matthew Short walks out next to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Lethal delivery from Milne and he gets the reward! Steven Smith departs early again inside the Powerplay! On a hard length from Milne from over the wicket just on top of off, it jags away a bit with extra bounce and pace, Steven Smith is taken by surprise and almost tries to sway away from it but pokes at the ball which takes the outside edge off his blade and carries back to Tim Seifert who pouches it to his right.

On a hard length around off, Steven Smith dabs it to the pitch off the back foot.

FOUR! Smith gets into the attack early on! Short and in the stump line, Steven Smith stands tall and pulls it over short fine leg for a boundary.

Adam Milne will bowl from the other end.

FOUR! Hat-trick of boundaries! Just on top of off on a length, Travis Head with a little prod ahead slaps it over the bowler's head for a boundary. What a sensational start for the tourists. 12 runs off the first over.

FOUR! Out of control but gets the boundary anyways. On off and on a length with a good amount of outswing, Travis Head does not connect it well but slices it over the cover-point gap for a boundary. Mark Chapman makes the mess of it in the deep despite the slide and fails to flick it back and the ball breaches the fence.

FOUR! Head and Aussies are up and running! Not too wide of off on a length with a hint of an outswing, Travis Head splices off the bat over the cover-point for a boundary.

JAFFA! Good lateral movement outside off on a nagging length, Travis Head gets beaten on the outside edge and then to the keeper.

On a tad fuller length with a movement again on off, Travis Head looks for a big pull early on but inside edges to the strip.

Not a bad start at all! A wild outswinger to start with from Boult on a length that curves outside off. Travis Head looks to defend but it zips past his outside edge.

Mitchell Santner is playing his 100th T20I game today.

We are all in readiness for the match to begin! The two umpires make their way out to the middle. The players of New Zealand are taking their respective field positions. Steven Smith and Travis Head are the two openers for Australia. Trent Boult has the new ball in the hand and will bowl the first over of the match. Let's play...

New Zealand (Playing XI) - Finn Allen, Will Young, Tim Seifert (WK) (In for Devon Conway), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Mitchell Santner (C), Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi (In for Lockie Ferguson), Trent Boult, Ben Sears.

Australia (Playing XI) - Travis Head, Steven Smith, Matthew Short (In for Mitchell Marsh), Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (C) (WK), Mitchell Starc (In for Pat Cummins), Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson (In for Josh Hazlewood).

Toss Update: New Zealand have won the toss and elected to BOWL first.

On the other hand, New Zealand had a forgetful outing in the bowling and batting departments. Firstly, they must have missed the services of Rachin Ravindra who rained sixes and fours in the first game, strengthening their top order. Rachin was absent from the game due to experiencing discomfort in his left knee, which arose after the initial match in Wellington. New Zealand bowlers went for plenty of runs barring Lockie Ferguson who bowled with tremendous control and picked a superb 4-wicket haul, and conceded a mere 12 runs in his spell. Coming to chase the target, the Kiwis lost their top order, including Mitch Santner who promoted himself to number 3, inside the first mandatory powerplay. Having their backs against the wall, the hosts couldn't find a way to settle and build partnerships. Glenn Phillips was the lone warrior who fought but saw the dramatic collapse on the other end being stranded on one end. New Zealand were bowled out on 102, which exposed their batting faults to some extent. Now coming into the final game, their woes are double-struck as Devon Conway has been hit with a knee injury similar to Ravindra's and will remain absent from this game. Now, the third T20I is a challenge for the hosts to prevent from being whitewashed. And we shall find out who has an upper hand as the Toss and the Team updates are just a bit away.

In the second T20I, Australia posted a challenging total of 174 on the board with some valuable batting contributions. Travis Head, the man who has won all the accolades worldwide, scored 45 off just 22 balls. He was complemented by crucial contributions from the skipper Mitchell Marsh, who made a handy 26, following him, the former skipper, Pat Cummins too, added pivotal 28 runs to the tally. Maxwell, Inglis and Smith couldn't make any mark but the total was enough as Adam Zampa did the most damage with his crafty bowling striking a sensational 4-fer. The rest of the bowlers, too chipped in with timely contributions with Nathan Ellis picking up a couple and one each by the others. They dented the Kiwis and restricted them to a paltry 102, eventually winning by 73 runs.

Hello and a very warm welcome to our coverage of the third and final T20I between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park, Auckland. The visitors, the formidable Tasman brothers of the Kiwis, have secured a commanding lead in the series with a 2-0 advantage. New Zealand's batting prowess has been brought a bit into question in these encounters, while 'Straya', now under the leadership of The Bison, Mitchell Marsh, has demonstrated cohesion and firepower. 

...MATCH DAY...