Kane Williamson did not get off to a start. (Blackcaps/Twitter)
Chasing the massive total of 244, David Warner and Darcy Short came out all guns blazing in the middle and started raining boundaries. All the seamers Tim Southee, Ben Wheeler and Trent Boult struggled to control the run flow and found no helps from their fielders, who dropped catches and made plenty of misfields. Warner went on to slam his fifty in just 20 balls before he was dismissed by Ish Sodhi for 59. Darcy Short slammed his fifty after which Chris Lynn departed on 18. Glenn Maxwell hammered 31 runs in 14 balls before he was dismissed by Tim Southee. Short was dismissed by Trent Boult on 76. Aaron Finch hammered 36* runs in 14 balls to create history and defeated New Zealand by 5 wickets. It is the highest total ever chased in T20I in history.
New Zealand vs Australia T20I highlights:
Australia have chased down the massive total of 244 here with 5 wickets remaining and 7 balls to spare. This is the highest total ever chased down in T20Is.
WICKET! Marcus Stoinis is RUN OUT and drama continues in Auckland. Australia need 7 runs off 9 balls now, with 5 wickets in hand. Can they do it?
The highest run chase in T20I is 236 by West Indies against South AFrica. Australia need 11 runs in 12 balls to beat the record. Aaron Finch is in the middle. Can he do it?
Finally a wicket in this over and Darcy Short is gone for 76. The match is coming right down to the wire. Easy take by Tim Seiwert. AUS 217/4
In the air and the fielder takes it. Aaron Finch is GONE... oh wait, it's a NO BALL! FREE-HIT!
Next ball:
In the air and the fielder takes it. But it's a FREE HIT! Still NOT OUT!
Glenn Maxwell departs after hammering 31 runs in 14 balls. Tim Southee's slow ball did the trick. Has the damage been done yet?
Australia are 195/2 in 15 overs now. Thye need 49 runs in 30 balls with 8 wickets still in hand. It seems very possible from here on now.
WICKET! Colin de Grandhomme strike and it is Chris Lynn who is GONE for 18. Guptill takes it this time and he will be a relieved man now. Still a lot of work to be done for the Aussies.
DROPPED! Chris Lynn dropped on 9 and that can come back to haunt New Zealand. It was an easy catch for Martin Guptill who let it go from his hands. Butter fingers!
David Warner is GONE for 59 and New Zealand have their first breakthrough in the match. BIG wicket for Ish Sodhi. The ball straightened as Warner tried to go for a pull. Misjudged the spin on the delivery. AUS 121/1.
Australia have gone past the total of 100 here and they have not lost a single wicket here. David Warner also completed his half century in just 20 balls. WHAT A PLAYER!
After 6 overs Australia have reached 91/0 here. What a start to the chase. There has been some poor fielding from New Zealand which has helped Australia's cause.
Ben Wheeler gave 23 runs in the 5th over and this is getting frustrating for Kane Williamson. Australia have reached 73/0 in 5 overs and the target is looking very chaseable at this pace. New Zealand need wickets as soon as possible.
Australia have reached 50 in no time. Some poor fielding from Kiwis and explosive batting from David Warner and Darcy Short have put the side in a good position here.
David Warner and Darcy Short have fired Australia to an explosive start and this is precisely what the side needed when chasing such a massive total. Austrailia have reached 43/0 in 3 overs, with 16 runs coming in the previous over. New Zealand look fo wickets.
David Warner and Darcy Short start for Australia with the bat. Trent Boult starts with the new ball. Warner has not been in the best of forms and needs to score a few runs here in the series.
Back-to-back sixes in the last two balls from Ross Taylor and he takes New Zealand's total to 243/6 in 20 overs. Australia need 244 to win the 5th T20I in Auckland. Can they pull off a massive win?
WICKET! Kane Richardson gets his second wicket of the over and the skipper Kane Williamson is gone for 1. Solid over from him as he took 2 wickets and gave just 5 runs in the 19th over. New Zealand are slipping in the death overs. NZ 224/6
WICKET! And another one bites the dust. Colin de Grandhomme departs for 3 and Kane Richardson gets the wicket. NZ 222/5
WICKET! Billy Stanlake bowled a bouncer and the ball went on to slam Mark Chapman's helmet. The helmet went on to take the bails off. NASTY! Chapman is gone for 16, NZ 220/4.
WICKET! Andrew Tye gets the BIG wicket of Martin Guptill who receives a massive standing ovation from the crowd for his century. He departs for 105. Tried to hit a slow full toss for a six but did not time it well enough. Easy catch for Maxwell. NZ 212/3
Martin Guptill has hammered two sixes in Marcus Stoinis' over and has completed his second T20I century here. He has completed his ton in just 49 balls. New Zealand go over 200 runs here in 16th over.
New Zealand are 184/2 after 15 overs and Martin Guptill is on 88*. He needs just 12 runs to score a century here. Can he score a ton here?
WICKET! Easy catch for Aaron Finch in deep square leg as Tim Seifert tried to go for the maximum. He departs for 12 as New Zealand are 155/2.
Colin Munro's fireworks come to an end. He hammered three sixes in the first three balls of Andrew Tye. He tried to go for another one but gave an easy catch to Glenn Maxwell. He departs for 76 in just 33 balls. What a player! NZ 132/1
New Zealand have extended their strike rate over 11 now and there seems to be no stopping to the fireworks in Auckland now.
SIX! Darcy Short has been hammered for a massive six and now it is fifty for Martin Guptill. His 14th T20I fifty.
2 balls later -
SIX! Darcy Short has been hammered for another six and it is fifty for Colin Munro. His 6th T20I fifty.
In spite of Australia employing Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis, they have not been able to slow down the run rate here after the powerplay. New Zealand are maintaining a run rate of over 10 here. What total will Australia have to chase down?
New Zealand are 67/0 at the end of 6 overs and with this fielding restrictions will be lifted and Australia will hope they can slow down the pace of the match. The stage is set for a huge total now. Ashton Agar comes into the attack. Can he provide a much-needed breakthrough?
SIX! Third six of the match from Martin Guptill and that went miles ahead into the ground. Opened the face of the bat, inside out, just using the pace and BANG! 50 up for New Zealand in under 5 overs. Sweet start!
Solid start from New Zealand. They have scored 43/0 in just overs with a run rate of over 10. It is raining boundaries at the moment here, with Guptill being the aggressor of the two at the moment. Australia need a wicket and quickly.
Martin Guptill is on absolute fire at the moment. He hammered Billy Stanlake for a straight six in the final ball of his over. Stanlake troubled him with some straighter deliveries in the over but Guptill seems to have the answer for everything at the moment.
A boundary to start the over and a boundary to finish it as well. 12 runs in the first over from Kane Richardson. Good start for New Zealand. The two wides in the first over will also hurt Australia. Billy Stanlake into the attack now.
Martin Guptill and Colin Munro out to open for Kiwis. Kane Richardson with the new ball. The pitch here in Auckland is expected to carry some pace and bounce which will suit Richardson. Guptill and Munro both are in lethal form at the moment. Who will strike first?
Unchanged side for Australia:
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner(c), D Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake
One change for New Zealand - Ben Wheeler replaces Mitchell Santner
New Zealand (Playing XI): Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(c), Mark Chapman, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Seifert(w), Ben Wheeler, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
New Zealand have won the toss and have elected to bat first against Australia. The side scored 196 in the previous T20I and will hope they post another mammoth total here in Auckland.
Hello and welcome to our Live Blog on the 5th T20I between New Zealand and Australia in Auckland. Stay tuned for updates on toss and team news.