After 7 overs,New Zealand 37/1 ( Martin Guptill 20 , Kane Williamson (C) 5)

Maxwell returns, replacing Cummins, as the field spreads at the end of the powerplay. Guptill and Williamson, meanwhile, take to collecting singles to keep the scoreboard ticking if boundaries are hard to come by. Five from the over.

After 6 overs,New Zealand 32/1 ( Martin Guptill 17 , Kane Williamson (C) 3)

The dot balls continue to build up for the Black Caps with Hazlewood continuing to operate from the other end. Collects five dots on the bounce before a miscued pull by Williamson towards deep midwicket off the last ball adds a couple of runs to the scoreboard. Mitchell’s wicket definitely has slowed things down for the Black Caps, whose run rate has fallen below six at the end of the powerplay.

After 5 overs,New Zealand 30/1 ( Martin Guptill 17 , Kane Williamson (C) 1)

Pat Cummins brought into the attack inside the powerplay, and he starts off on a tidy note, giving away just two singles to help maintain pressure on the Black Caps after the breakthrough in the previous over. Williamson, meanwhile, gets off the mark.

Signs of a repeat?

Mitchell Starc becomes the first man to bowl the first ball of a Final in both ODI WC and T20 WC.

Martin Guptill becomes the first man to face the first ball of a Final in both ODI WC and T20 WC.

Both 2015 and 2021 finals began with "Starc to Guptill, no run".#T20WorldCupFinal

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) November 14, 2021

After 4 overs,New Zealand 28/1 ( Martin Guptill 16 , Kane Williamson (C) 0)

Hazlewood continues. Guptill goes for a solid punch through point at the start of the over to collect his third boundary of the innings. He certainly is looking ominous for the Aussie attack the way he’s hitting the ball tonight. Another impressive-looking punch by Mitchell three balls later, though intercepted at extra cover. Hazlewood keeps things tight after the first-ball boundary, and later gets Mitchell caught-behind for 11 to break the opening stand. Skipper Kane Williamson joins Guptill at the crease.

OUT! Hazlewood gets the in-form Mitchell early! No big score from the in-form opener tonight as he perishes while looking to punch the ball through the cover region, getting a thick edge in the end.  NZ 28/1

Mitchell c Wade b Hazlewood 11(9)

After 3 overs,New Zealand 23/0 ( Martin Guptill 11 , Daryl Mitchell 11)

Gamble from Finch early on as he brings Maxwell in place of Starc in the third over. Expensive start for the all-rounder as Mitchell smashes him over long on for a maximum. Maxwell though, creates a chance early on, inducing an inside edge off Guptill’s bat in the third delivery, though Wade isn’t able to hold on to the catch behind the stumps. Guptill gets a reprieve on 10. Will he convert this into big score tonight?

After 2 overs,New Zealand 13/0 ( Martin Guptill 10 , Daryl Mitchell 3)

Josh Hazlewood from the other end, and he starts off with four consecutive dots to Guptill, bowling a tight line to keep the hard-hitting opener quiet. Guptill then breaks the shackles by hooking a short ball towards the vacant fine leg fence, collecting his second boundary of the innings. Dot to end the over.

After 1 over,New Zealand 9/0 ( Martin Guptill 6 , Daryl Mitchell 3)

Starc starts off with a 146 kmph delivery outside off that Martin Guptill chooses to leave alone. Guptill gets a similar delivery next up, and this time decides to drive this through the covers for a boundary, opening his teams’ account in style. Takes a single next ball. Daryl Mitchell clips the penultimate ball behind square leg, coming back for a third to get himself off the mark. Single to Guptill to end the over, with nine coming from the first over.

The national anthems have been sung one last time in this tournament, and it’s time for the action at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to kick off! Both teams take the knee before start of play. Starc to Guptill at the start of the Kiwi innings…