Kiwis upstage defending champion Australia in T20 World Cup

SYDNEY: Devon Conway and Finn Allen plundered 46 runs off the first three overs to set New Zealand on course for a thumping 89-run win over defending champion Australia on Saturday in the opening game of the Super 12 stage at the Twenty20 World Cup. Less than a year after losing the 2021 final to Australia in Dubai, the New Zealanders dominated immediately after being sent in to bat in overcast conditions and posted 200-3, their highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup game. Australia was bowled out for 111 in 17.1 overs in reply for its biggest-ever defeat in a T20 World Cup game, with Tim Southee taking the first and the last wickets to secure New Zealand’s first win here in 11 years.

“An outstanding day. Finn set the tone and another class innings from Devon,” New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said. “Something to build on for our next one.” Conway blazed an unbeaten 92 from 58 balls and hit the last ball of the innings for six.

The end of New Zealand’s innings reflected the start, with the opening pair putting on 56 in 4.1 overs before Allen was bowled by Josh Hazlewood. “Special performance by the boys tonight,” Conway said. “Credit to Finn how he started, he got the momentum going.

“Quite a young guy in his career but he’s explosive, and he’s fearless.” He certainly was. The 23-year-old Allen, who only found out Friday night that he’d be starting, hit the second ball of the match for a boundary and the third for a six over mid-on, and then drove a boundary straight down the ground as New Zealand took 14 off the first over from paceman Mitch Starc. They took 15 off the second over, with Conway turning the first ball from Hazlewood to the boundary at fine leg, and continued the onslaught against Australia’s