The Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup will get underway on Saturday evening with Australia to face the might of New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Zero Wicket will be covering the game live from 6pm (AEDT).
Australia and New Zealand played out the final of the 2021 tournament in the United Arab Emirates, with Aaron Finch's side clinching the trophy for the first time.
Their chances of going back-to-back have taken something of a hit though given their shaky form coming into the tournament, with this game expected to be a crucial one in the outcome of a group which also features Afghanistan and England.
Refresh the page below for live scores and commentary of the game from 6pm (AEDT).
Match summary
New Zealand 3/200 (20 overs), Australia 10/111 (17.1 overs)
Scoreboard
Toss: Australia won the toss and elected to field first
Australia batting
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | |
| David Warner | B Southee | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Aaron Finch | C Williamson, B Santner | 13 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Mitchell Marsh | C Neesham, B Southee | 16 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| Glenn Maxwell | B Sodhi | 28 | 20 | 3 | 1 |
| Marcus Stoinis | C Phillips, B Santner | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim David | C Neesham, B Santner | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Matthew Wade | C Conway, B Ferguson | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Cummins | C Conway, B Southee | 21 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
| Mitchell Starc | B Boult | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Zampa | B Boult | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Hazlewood | Not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Sundries: Wides 2, No balls 0, Byes 0, Leg byes 1
Total: 10/111 (17.1 overs)
New Zealand bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Wickets | Runs |
| Trent Boult | 4 | 0 | 2 | 24 |
| Tim Southee | 2.1 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Mitchell Santner | 4 | 0 | 3 | 31 |
| Lockie Ferguson | 3 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
| Ish Sodhi | 4 | 0 | 1 | 29 |
New Zealand batting
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | |
| Finn Allen | B Hazlewood | 42 | 16 | 5 | 3 |
| Devon Conway | Not out | 92 | 58 | 7 | 2 |
| Kane Williamson | LBW Zampa | 23 | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| Glenn Phillips | C & B Hazlewood | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Jimmy Neesham | Not out | 26 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
Sundries: Wides 5, No balls 0, Byes 0, Leg byes 0
Total: 3/200 (20 overs)
Did not bat: Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Australia bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Wickets | Runs |
| Mitchell Starc | 4 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 0 | 2 | 41 |
| Pat Cummins | 4 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 4 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Adam Zampa | 4 | 0 | 1 | 39 |
Updates
9:26pm (AEDT)
Thanks for joining us this evening on Zero Wicket for our live coverage of Australia and New Zealand.
We will be back shortly with England and Afghanistan.
9:24pm (AEDT)
Simply phenomenal tonight from New Zealand. Australia are all out, with Cummins skying one off the edge, caught by Devon Conway as Southee came back into the attack.
All over, and New Zealand win by 89 runs.
9:22pm (AEDT)
Just two overs to go then, with Boult only going for a couple of singles at the back end of that over.
9:18pm (AEDT)
And another. Zampa backs away from a good length ball that was off pace. It moves a touch off the deck, but it's a swing and a miss, and the stumps are falling backwards yet again.
Just the one wicket left.
9:17pm (AEDT)
Mitchell Starc now looks to dispatch Trent Boult down the ground, but can't connect and loses his stumps. Another wicket down and this game just heading towards a pretty sour end for the Aussies.
9:15pm (AEDT)
The exciting start to the over from Cummins gives way to a dot and a single, before Starc can only manage a single at the back end of the over.
9:13pm (AEDT)
Ferguson back on here for the Black Caps. Bowling at Cummins who hits the first to extra cover for a boundary, then smokes a six inside out through the offside.
9:11pm (AEDT)
A good over from Trent Boult here going for just five which includes a wide.
9:07pm (AEDT)
A couple of singles to end the over, but this one will just roll along till the end now. Australia need 110 from 6.
9:05pm (AEDT)
Sodhi to bowl out here then, and he does dish up a wide, but comes up with the wicket of Maxwell a few balls later. Maxwell was trying to play another reverse slog, but this time loses his stumps.
9:01pm (AEDT)
Not much point in standing around here, and Cummins realises this as he dispatches his second ball - dragged down from Ferguson - away to the backward square leg fence.
Cummins fails to deal with a change of pace on the next, then hacks away to mid wicket for one on the last.
8:58pm (AEDT)
Bit of a car crash this for Australia. Lockie Ferguson back into the attack, he puts this in on a hard length, and Wade, looking to go through the offside, grabs an edge through to Conway behind the pegs.
8:56pm (AEDT)
What Australia must get better at is rotating strike. The difference in percentage of dot balls between the two sides is absolutely astronomical.
Anyway, Maxwell goes the reverse again after a couple of dots and grabs a single this time. Wade just punches a single on the last.
Australia need 119 from 8 overs.
8:54pm (AEDT)
A boundary at the back end of the Santner over, then it's Ish Sodhi back into the attack and on the second ball, Maxwell slogs a reverse hit sweep over the mid wicket fence for six. Incredible shot.
8:49pm (AEDT)
Bad news for Australia once again. Tim David hits one six off Santner, then looks to go again over mid wicket from a drag down, but hits it straight to Neesham at cow corner. Australia lose their fifth.
8:45pm (AEDT)
Australia getting into "we need a miracle territory now" as the required rate goes over 14 runs per over. Sodhi with a good over for the most part, finished with an inside out boundary from Maxwell over cover.
The players will head to drinks at 4 for 62 from 10.
8:38pm (AEDT)
WHAT. A. CATCH! Glenn Phillips. That'll be up there with catch of the tournament. Stoinis looks to go over the offside, but doesn't quite get the power to it with Santner taking the pace off the ball. Phillips comes around in the deep and goes absolutely flying to take that.
Stoinis departs for 7 off 14.
8:36pm (AEDT)
Ish Sodhi into the attack then as New Zealand go to spin from both ends, and that you feel is a trick that Australia missed in the field as they conceded 200.
Stoinis and Maxwell struggling to get Sodhi away here, until Maxwell goes a reverse slog on the last ball to get a boundary.
8:33pm (AEDT)
Santner doing a superb job here. Changing his pace and length with each ball, and just two singles to end the over.
Five from the Santner over in total, and Australia's equation just continues to get tougher and tougher.
8:31pm (AEDT)
Santner back into the attack here for some more spin. Maxwell grabs a single from the first, then Stoinis looks for a sweep but misses everything. Width from the next and Stoinis grabs one on the under edge. This is getting out of hand now for Australia with the required rate now hitting 12.
8:28pm (AEDT)
Maxwell and Stoinis now at the crease, and they are going to have to bat for a long while if Australia are any chance here as Lockie Ferguson comes into the attack. Just three singles from this.
Australia end the powerplay at 3 for 37 from 6. They need 164 from 14.
8:23pm (AEDT)
Stoinis pushes the final ball of this Southee over down to mid on, and the pressure continues to build.
8:22pm (AEDT)
Marsh defends the next, then looks to hit one away through the leg side. He squares up, misses everything and a huge shout for LBW as the ball appears to hit his back leg. Not out, and no review. Height probably the issue there.
Marsh sends the next one a million miles into the air, but hits it to Neesham on the fence! New Zealand have another.
8:20pm (AEDT)
Tim Southee flips ends to come back into the attack with his second over here. Can't score from the first, but Mitchell Marsh flips the second to the fine leg boundary as Southee takes the pace off it.
Marsh absolutely the key for Australia here.
8:18pm (AEDT)
Bang! Mitchell Marsh goes huge over the offside. Inside out, and a huge shot against Mitchell Santner, who has come on with some spin in the powerplay.
Finch then looks to go through the covers inside out as he backs away to Santner, but hits it straight down the throat of Kane Williamson at cover.
Australia in all sorts.
Big pressure on Glenn Maxwell now.
8:13pm (AEDT)
Better over here for Australia, but still a lot of work to do. Finch belts a six, then a four, and grabs another couple to end the over from Boult.
8:09pm (AEDT)
Marsh and Finch can only add a couple of singles to end the over from Southee, and New Zealand right on top here.
8:05pm (AEDT)
Oh shocking! Tim Southee takes the new ball from the other end and Warner is so, so unlucky. Looked to pull it away, gets hit on the thigh pad, and the ball lobs back onto his stumps. Huge blow for Australia with Warner gone for five.
Mitchell Marsh in at 3.
8:04pm (AEDT)
Underway here! Warner can't score from the first three balls as Trent Boult takes the new ball, then gets an edge for a boundary to get underway. Just a single from the end of the over.
8:00pm (AEDT)
We are back for the run chase here
7:50pm (AEDT)
Two balls left. Neesham on strike to Hazlewood, and he bludgeons the first of those two down the ground, with good running allowing them to come back for two.
194 on the board with a ball to bowl. And Neesham gets to 200! Dispatches a full one over long on for a six.
An excellent finish for New Zealand. 14 from the final over, Hazlewood's figures blow out, and Devon Conway the star with 92 from 58.
A big chase for Australia ahead.
Join us again in about ten minutes on Zero Wicket for the run chase.
7:47pm (AEDT)
Final over of the innings then. Hazlewood to bowl it, and off to a good start. He has been the pick so far for Australia.
A dot to start, then Neesham grabs two with a flick around the corner. The next is teed off down the ground for a single by Neesham, so Conway, on 89, will be on strike with three balls to go.
Conway across his wickets and looks to hit it to fine leg, but ends up somehow getting it to third man. Good running and they come back for three.
7:44pm (AEDT)
Starc started that over strongly, but he doesn't finish it all that well. Conway whacks a full one away to the cover fence to finish it, and he moves to 89. What a phenomenal innings.
7:42pm (AEDT)
Starc running back to his mark here. Australia are really tight on time to get the last over started inside the innings timer. Wickets of course would only make that worse, but there is almost one here with Conway swinging away into the leg side, but the ball falls just short of Stoinis.
7:40pm (AEDT)
Bang! Huge shot from Neesham. Cummins drops a bit short, and Neesham swings this over the mid wicket fence for a big one.
Cummins just struggling with his line after that six. A couple of wides litter the rest of this over, and New Zealand still in a position to score 200 here with 15 from that.
7:33pm (AEDT)
Stoinis back into the attack for his final over. A full one to start and Phillips plays a lovely drive down the ground that races away to the fence. The next is a slow short ball pulled away for one. Conway up to 77 from 49 balls. Superb innings.
Neesham's first ball is taken on the up down the ground, but falls safe for one.
Singles to end the over.
7:29pm (AEDT)
Review for a caught behind there. Not out, and Phillips whacks the next one from Hazlewood down the ground for a four - almost a baseball style shot. A couple more singles and a wide, then a Hazlewood bouncer catches Phillips by surprise. He can only sky the attempted smack down the ground, and Hazlewood completes the catch.
Unfortunately, rain does appear to be building out to the west.
7:22pm (AEDT)
So then, couple of singles and a wide to start this over. Conway then survives a stumping attempt, before Zampa over pitches and gets hammered down the ground. The very next ball is inside out through the covers, but into space for another two. Last one around the corner for another single, and New Zealand take ten from it.
Zampa finishes with 1/39 from 4, and New Zealand should be aiming for nothing less than 200 from here with five to go.
7:17pm (AEDT)
Some lovely shots in this over. Conway with a beautiful cover drive, then Phillips can't score from his first two before grabbing a boundary. He then flicks one around the corner for two and just like that, it's nine from the first five balls of this Cummins over. Dot to end it, but the Black Caps tracking for a very good score here.
7:11pm (AEDT)
Australia continue to change up the bowling, with Zampa back for his third over. Conway crunches the first for a six, then grabs a two and a one from the next couple.
A pair of singles on the next two, then Williamson looks at a reverse sweep. Poor shot, and he is fired LBW after missing everything. He does decide to review with about a second left on the clock, but this looked very good.
And yes, that is out. The captain departs.
Glenn Phillips in at four.
7:07pm (AEDT)
Australia with a good over here through Starc, and it's time for the Black Caps to get very busy so as to not ruin this start they have made. Starc gives away just the five singles in that one.
7:03pm (AEDT)
Just smart cricket from the Black Caps here. The six off the first ball is backed up by four singles and a double to make it 12 from the over, with Williamson and Conway both looking solid, the run rate still hanging around 10 runs per over.
6:59pm (AEDT)
So then, back from the drinks break and wow! Kane Williamson with the slog sweep to a full ball from Stoinis and it disappears over the square leg boundary for a six.
He attacks the next and grabs a single to extra cover.
6:55pm (AEDT)
Australia definitely starting to get back on top momentum wise here. They need wickets, but this Starc over only goes for seven.
Halfway through the Black Caps innings here.
6:50pm (AEDT)
Couple of singles to start this over, then Conway dispatches a six.
Very next ball - the last of this Zampa over - there is a big shout for LBW. Definitely pad first, and height will be the question on ball tracking. And yes. Height is the issue. Over the top, so Australia burn their review.
6:45pm (AEDT)
Stoinis with a solid over here, taking the pace off and the Black Caps unable to get much more than singles for the time being.
A bouncer is then ruled to be (controversially) over head height of Williamson, so that'll be the first extra of the innings. Over ends with another short one pulled away for a single.
6:42pm (AEDT)
So, Marcus Stoinis back into the attack. Conway grabs a couple, then a single, and the Black Caps just continuing to tick things along here quite nicely, the run rate still well above 10.
6:39pm (AEDT)
Smart cricket here though as well. Conway turns a straight one around the corner for a single, then Williamson works one down the ground for the same result. More singles to end the over, and no dot balls will be important for New Zealand.
Australia well behind the over rate here. Could be left with four outside the circle in the final overs.
6:37pm (AEDT)
Adam Zampa into the attack with the powerplay over, and that's a cracking shot from Conway. Full from Zampa, and the Black Caps' opener plays a wonderful cover drive away to the boundary.
6:35pm (AEDT)
Pat Cummins back for the final over of the powerplay then. Conway defends the first, then looked to go leg side, but adjusts to width from Cummins and it races away to the third man fence. Incredible cricket shot right there.
Another dot, then Cummins comes around the wicket and Conway slaps a cut shot away for a single.
Williamson defends out the over, and Australia just starting to get some control back here.
6:30pm (AEDT)
Kane Williamson off the mark with a boundary then. Width from Hazlewood after a couple of dots, and the Kiwi captain uses the width to slice away behind point for a boundary.
Final ball of the other is straight, uppish into the leg side but safe.
Much better over for Australia, but still well on the back foot here.
6:24pm (AEDT)
And there it is. Australia desperately needed that, with Hazlewood coming up with an excellent yorker to get rid of Finn Allen. He had come charging down the track once again, but this time misses.
What a superb innings that was to get New Zealand away to a flier though. 42 off 16 and the platform built.
It's the skipper Kane Williamson in at three.
6:23pm (AEDT)
That little bit of control doesn't last long though. Stoinis with a full one, Allen down the track and he dispatches this over the sightscreen down the ground. What a shot as the Black Caps go past 50.
Back of a length to end the other and Allen pinches a quick single.
Josh Hazlewood to bowl a second over, this time from the other end.
6:21pm (AEDT)
Australia getting a little bit of control back against Conway there. Another dot after the appeal before Conway drops and goes to cover with a sharp single.
6:20pm (AEDT)
Australia continues to ring the changes here as Marcus Stoinis comes into the attack. Conway takes a couple from the first ball, before there is a good bouncer that Conway looks to pull. A bit of a noise, but the umpire not interested and Australia won't review. Replays seem to show that maybe passing the front of the helmet.
6:16pm (AEDT)
Allen is just going nuts here. Backs away from another ball about halfway down and just dispatches this on the up through extra cover. Very poor bowling right now from Australia.
The next ball doesn't leave the circle, before Cummins drops another ball short at about chest height, and Allen whacks this for a maximum over square leg.
Final ball of the over then and it's short, wide and into the gap. Finch will chase the cut shot down and they grab another two. 17 from that.
6:14pm (AEDT)
Pat Cummins into the attack then. Conway grabs a single from the first ball, before Cummins goes the slower ball. Allen with a hook shot and Zampe drops a very tough opportunity above his head at short fine leg.
6:11pm (AEDT)
New Zealand off to a superb start here, and some smart batting in this over. Conway smacks a boundary away down the ground, a couple of singles, and then Allen advances down the track to crunch a half tracker away through the covers for another boundary.
Black Caps 29 without loss.
6:07pm (AEDT)
This is a shocking start for Australia. Josh Hazlewood takes the ball from the other end and fires one down the leg side, with Conway getting off the mark with a flick down to fine leg for a boundary.
6:06pm (AEDT)
Starc makes some adjustments to his field then. Slip goes out, long on goes in. Allen plays out one, then Starc bowls another into the blackhole and Allen smacks it back down the ground for yet another boundary.
Final ball of this first over then and Starc does go the bouncer. Allen misses the pull shot and New Zealand off to a flier here.
6:04pm (AEDT)
Fast start for Finn Allen! Starc angling back into the stumps with some movement, and Allen stands and delivers, thumping him away over mid on for a boundary.
And the very next ball! Bang! Allen going big to start here. Another full one and this flies away over long on for a six! Huge from Allen.
6:02pm (AEDT)
Mitchell Starc gets us underway in front of a big crowd in Sydney. Full and outside the off stump, with Allen playing away to mid on where Cummins does the fielding. Just a hint of early swing.
6:00pm (AEDT)
Here we go! Mitchell Starc has the new ball for the Aussies, and it'll be Finn Allen to face the first ball of the innings. Devon Conway is up the other end.
5:57pm (AEDT)
The anthems are done and it's go time here at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Finn Allen and Devon Conway on their way out to open the batting for the Black Caps.
5:53pm (AEDT)
The teams and umpires are on their way out for the national anthems. Our umpires today are Adrian Holdstock from South Africa and Kumar Dharmasena from Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe's Langton Rusere is the third umpire, and Richard Illingworth of England is the fourth official. Chris Broad of England is the match referee.
5:50pm (AEDT)
There has certainly been scattered rain around Sydney today, but for now at least, the SCG is dry.
5:45pm (AEDT)
Australia have won the toss and elected to field first here in Sydney.
Here are the teams.
Australia
David Warner, Aaron Finch (capt), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
New Zealand
Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (capt), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
5:20pm (AEDT)
Hello and welcome to Zero Wicket's live coverage of the T20 World Cup, with the opening match of the Super 12 to see Australia take on New Zealand.
Australia come into the tournament in sketchy form, having lost to India in their official warm-up, and suffering through mixed results against India, the West Indies and England in recent times.
New Zealand are one of the top T20 sides in the world, with this a rematch of the last final when the teams faced off in the UAE last year. The Kiwis did however lose a tri-series final at home recently to Pakistan, with Bangladesh the other team in that tournament.
We are about 10 minutes from the toss and teams being named, so will have that information for you as soon as it comes to home.
