T20 World Cup: New Zealand end 11-year Australia jinx, hand defending champions their biggest defeat 

T20 World Cup 2022: While Devon Conway broke Virat Kohli’s record for the highest score by a visiting batter against Australia, New Zealand posted their first 200-run total in a T20 World Cup to decimate Australia in Sydney.

New Zealand defeated Australia by 89 runs in Sydney on Saturday (AP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: New Zealand not only sent a warning notice to the rest of the teams in the Super 12 stage of T20 World Cup 2022 with their 89-run hammering of defending champions Australia but broke a series of records and ended a 11-year-long jinx Down Under. With a dominant performance with both bat and ball, Kane Williamson’s men laid down an early marker despite not heading into the tournament with any ‘favourites’ tag.

New Zealand posted their first 200-run total in a T20 World Cup and they couldn’t have asked for a better time to do it as the BlackCaps demolished the much-talked-about Australia bowling line-up at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the opening match of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.

It was a comprehensive performance from New Zealand as they rode on a flying start given by young Finn Allen before Devon Conway took over and hit a match-winning 92. With the ball, Tim Southee was impeccable as he picked up 3 wickets, including that of David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, while giving away just 6 runs and Mitchell Santner picked up 3 wickets, breaking the back of the Australian batting unit.

Chasing 200, Australia never really looked in any control after losing David Warner early. In the absence of Steve Smith, who was dropped for the Super 12 opener, Australia had no one to steer the ship out of trouble. In just 17.1 overs, Australia were bundled out for 111.

Going forward, Australia need to focus on improving their Net Run Rate as the 89-run defeat hampered their NRR, sinking it to -4.450.

Here’s a list of records that New Zealand set during their decimation of Australia in the T20 World Cup Super 12.

1: This is the first time New Zealand have won a men’s T20I match in Australia. They had lost the previous 3 matches, dating back to 2007.

11: For the first time in 11 years, New Zealand managed to beat Australia in Australia across any format of the game. New Zealand had played 11 matches and had lost 10 of them with their win before Saturday coming way back in 2011.

89: Biggest margin of defeat in terms of runs for Australia in T20Is. It is also the second biggest defeat for a full-time ICC member in T20 World Cups after England’s 90-run defeat to India in 2012.

92 not out: Devon Conway hit the highest score in T20Is against Australia in T20Is. Virat Kohli had held the recod with his 90 in Australia in 2016.

125: Tim Southee became the leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, taking his tally to 3 more than Shakib Al Hasan’s 122

200: This is the first time New Zealand managed to post 200 runs in a T20 World Cup match.