Australia remained unbeaten throughout the series.
Coming in to chase 151, David Warner and Darcy Short got off to a slow start with New Zealand bowlers keeping a tight line. But Darcy Short found his groove in the final overs of the powerplay. He hammered three sixes in three balls as Australia reached 55/0 in 6 overs. Heavy rainfall hindered the play as players left the field. Short went on to complete his second T20I fifty in just 29 balls before he was dismissed in the same over of Colin Munro. David Warner was too dismissed on 25 in Ish Sodhi’s over as Australia reach 83/2 in 10 overs. Australia suffered another blow with Mitchell Santner dismissing Ashton Agar. Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell took Australia to 121/3 in 14.4 overs before rain interrupted play. Australia won the final by 19 runs via D/L method to clinch series.
New Zealand vs Australia highlights:
Australia have won the T20I tri-series final against New Zealand by 19 runs (DLS method)!
It has started to rain heavily once again in Auckland and the players are again rushing off the field. Australia reach 121/3 in 14.4 overs. They need 30 to win in 32 balls.
Mark Chapman displayed acrobatics once again near covers to prevent a six. Mitchell Santner pitched it full toss and it was declared a No ball. Chapman caught the ball and ensured to throw it outside ropes before dropping the ball.
Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell have taken Australia to 100/3 in 13 overs. With 7 wickets in hand, Australia need 51 more to win in 42 balls.
Tim Seifert missed out a stumping chance in the previous over but he immediately redeems himself in the next over and dismisses Ashton Agar for 2. Mitchell Santner gets his first wicket. Australia 84/3
Australia are 73/2 in 10 overs and now they require 68 more runs to win in 60 balls to win the series. They still have 8 wickets in hand - 7 rather considering it is highly doubtful Chris Lynn will bat today.
WICKET! Ish Sodhi strike and it is the skipper David Warner who is gone for 25. HUGE wicket for the Kiwis. Slow ball once again doing the trick. AUS 78/2
Darcy Short is GONE for 50. He scored his 2nd T20I fifty in just 28 balls with a boundary off Colin Munro. Munro pitched a slower delivery next and Short tried to hit it for a six. But a mistimed shot took the ball to Mark Chapman. He has to go. AUS 72/1
The players are back on the field and the match is ready to begin. No overs have been lost. A little frustrating for Darcy Short who had found his groove before the break. Australia 55/0 in 6 overs. Mitchell Santner to start things.
Australia are currently ahead of New Zealand according to Duckworth Lewis method. New Zealand will be hoping for the restart of the match as quickly as possible. The covers are off and we could see a restart soon.
Darcy Short's rain of sixes has been followed by an actual rain. The players have come off and the ground has been covered. We will give you updates shortly.
Darcy Short has hammered three sixes in three balls - one off Trent Boult and the other two off Tim Southee. He takes Australia's total over 50 runs here in the powerplay. At the end of powerplay, Australia are 55/0 in 6 overs.
Trent Boult has been hammered for 16 runs in the over with Darcy Short smacking two fours and a six in his over to take Australia to 39/0. It would relieve the pressure from the Aussies who had a bit of a slow start. New Zealand need a wicket here to put some pressure back.
Australia are off to a slow start here in chase. David Warner and Darcy Short have been kept tight by New Zealand bowlers in the first three overs. AUS 17/0 after 3 overs. Ish Sodhi continues.
David Warner and Darcy Short out to open the innings for Australia. Trent Boult with the new ball. He has been hammered for a boundary on the second ball and Australia are on their way.
Some late fireworks from Ross Taylor and Ish Sodhi took New Zealand to 150/9 in 20 overs. Australia need 151 to win the series in 20 overs. We will come back with the second innings shortly. Stay tuned.
Ish Sodhi is Gone for 13 with two balls to go.
Expensive 19th over from Marcus Stoinis as he gave away 12 runs in it. New Zealand reach 140/8 after 19 overs. Can they cross the 150-mark in the final over. Andrew Tye into the attack.
Excellent last over from Kane Richardson as he kept the ball speed low not letting Ross Taylor smack it for a boundary. He gave just two runs in 18th over. New Zealand are 129/8 after 18 overs. Two overs remaining - Can New Zealand cross the 150-mark?
15 overs are gone and New Zealand are 116/8. With 5 overs remaining in the innings, what target will Australia have to chase in the final? Ross Taylor is still in the middle and he can still do damage in the final few overs.
Tim Southee tried to launch one from Kane Richardson for a six but there was no power in the shot and the ball landed in safe hands of Glenn Maxwell. NZ 110/8
Marcus Stoinis gets a WICKET and the wicketkeeping-batsman Tim Seifert is GONE for 3. He bowled a yorker delivery and shocked Seifert. The bails came off and Seifert has to go. New Zealand 103/7 after 13 overs.
Ashton Agar in this match has given 27 runs, in 4 overs and has taken 3 wickets. It has been a brilliant spell from him. Meanwhile, 100 up for New Zealand. What target will Australia have to chase here?
WICKET! Andrew Tye gets another one and the New Zealand are now falling like a pack of cards. Mitchell Santner departs for duck after hitting one straight to Alex Carey behind the stumps. NZ 93/6
Ashton Agar gets another one and the small cameo of Colin de Grandhomme comes to an end. He departs for 10. He tried to hit it for a maximum but there was no power in the shot and the ball landed in the safe hands of Glenn Maxwell. New Zealand reach 92/5 in 10 overs.
Good fielding effort from Chris Lynn as he put his arms forward to save the ball, but he seems to have hurt himself. He is going off the field now and he looks to be in real pain. Lynn has a long history of shoulder injury and this could be a huge blow for the Aussies.
Ashton Agar strikes another one and Mark Chapman is GONE for 8. Huge LBW appeal and the umpire raised his finger. DRS review call could not come to the rescue. NZ 73/4
New Zealand are 73/3 with Ashton Agar getting another breakthrough. A quicker delivery from him and Williamson stepped forward to hit it but played it too early and the ball went on to hit the stumps. NZ 73/3
WICKET! Kane Richardson strikes and it is the dangerous Colin Munro who is GONE for 29. He hammered the first ball of the over for a six and tried to hit the second one for another. But he misjudged the speed of the ball and the mistimed shot took the ball to Ashton Agar at mid-on. NZ 63/2 after 6 overs and this means the fielding restrictions are over.
Billy Stanlake pitched the ball a little bit wider for Kane Williamson and the Kiwis skipper smashed it for a glorious boundary. This brings 50 up for New Zealand in 5 overs. NZ 53/1 after 5 overs.
WICKET! Billy Stanlake provides the first breakthrough and the dangerous Martin Guptill is GONE for 21. He tried to hit it overs covers from a four bit mistimed shot led the ball straight to David Warner who made no mistake. Kane Williamson comes out in the middle to replace him. NZ 48/1
Ashton Agar has come out in the middle to replace Kane Richardson with the seamers getting hit for plenty. Andrew Tye cost 15 runs in his first over with Munro slamming three back-to-back boundaries. Aussies need a quick wicket here to change things. NZ 37/0 after 3 overs.
Australia are immediately looking to change things and it is Andrew Tye who has come out in the middle to replace Billy Stanlake. Stanlake was smacked for 12 runs in his over and Tye will look to slow down the run rate a bit. New Zealand are flying in the moment, with 27/0 in 2.2 overs.
First six of the match and it comes from Colin Munro's bat. Just a flick towards the leg side and the ball travelled miles in the air before landing safely amid the crowds. Good start for Kiwis. NZ 12/0 after 1 over.
The dynamic opening pair of Colin Munro and Martin Guptill are out in the middle to open the innings for New Zealand. It is Billy Stanlake who starts with the new ball for Australia. It has been a good series for Stanlake - he has been hit for plenty of runs but he has the ability to provide wickets at the right time.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said that he wishes to "set the tempo" of the match and hence he decided to bat first. Australia skipper David Warner, on the other hand, said that it is a good wicket but he is "happy to chase". Why wouldn't he be, they just chased 244 the other day!
NO Change in the team for New Zealand
New Zealand Playing XI: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(c), Mark Chapman, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Seifert(w), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi
Australia are playing the same side with Alex Carey keeping the stumps in Tim Paine's absence.
Australia playing XI: David Warner(c), D Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has won the toss and they will bat first. It seems like a smart decision with the batsmen in supreme form. But the last time the two teams met in this ground, the team that chased (Australia) had won.
Hello and welcome to our Live Blog on the T20 Tri-series final between New Zealand and Australia. We will give you updates on the toss and team news shortly. Stay tuned for all the Live action.