Job not done for Aussies aiming for clean sweep of world champs

In the unlikely event Australia required added motivation for their T20I tour of New Zealand, they only needed to gaze across at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup trophy, proudly on show at each venue following the White Ferns' historic triumph last October.

Australia's hopes of securing an unprecedented four-peat at that tournament went up in smoke at Dubai International Cricket Stadium when they were soundly beaten by South Africa in the semi-finals.

New Zealand's inspired performance in the decider then saw them upset the Proteas as the White Ferns claimed the trophy for the first time, while Australia went home from a major event empty handed for the first time since 2017.

Months later, after time to reflect on the defeat and rethink their approach to T20I cricket, their response should have their rivals worried.

It started in December, with thrashing ODI wins over India and New Zealand.

Australia then swept the T20I leg of the Ashes 3-0, winning by margins of 57 runs, six runs (DLS) and 72 runs, as part of their unprecedented 16-0 multi-format series sweep.

This week, playing the world champions, they have gone up yet another notch, following Friday's eight-wicket win in Auckland with a crushing 82-run romp at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval on Sunday, inflicting New Zealand's heaviest ever defeat in the format.

"We're playing against the world champions, and we want to be the world champions," Australia captain Tahlia McGrath said when asked post-game whether the White Ferns' champions tag was an added impetus to dominate this series.

"(We want to) finish the season on a high, we go to Wellington job not done and really keen to finish it off 3-0."

Australia now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in what is now – surprisingly – their first T20I series win on New Zealand soil, following three previous wins to the hosts and two draws.

They will be determined to make that 3-0 come Wednesday's third and final game in Wellington, a result that would be the icing on a long summer that saw Australia lose just one game – that T20 World Cup semi-final.

The next World Cup in the shortest format is 15 months away, and Australia will play just six T20Is between now and then – all in the first few months of 2026.

With that in mind, Wednesday is also one final chance, for now, for the world's top-ranked team to push themselves in the format.

"Where we can get to (as a team), we're not really putting a limit on that," Annabel Sutherland said on Sunday. 

"It was nice to hit that 200-run mark today with the bat on a pretty good deck and be clinical with the ball.

"I think we're showing more of the way we want to play (since the World Cup)."

New Zealand, meanwhile, are desperate to prove they can challenge Australia after two lacklustre performances.

Reflecting on where the first two matches went astray, allrounder Amelia Kerr said addressing their bowling to Australia in the Powerplay was a major area for improvement, after openers Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll put on 77 and 67 in the first six overs of the opening two games.

"It's been a tough few games for us and we're really disappointed," Kerr said. 

"They're a world-class side, but I think we would love to compete a whole lot more than what we have, and we've been off the mark personally as a team, with both bat and ball.

"We've bowled a lot of loose balls at times, which means we haven't been able to build pressure and then our good balls don't take wickets because we're screwing up our bad ones. 

"We've got to keep growing and learning and trying to get better, and we've still got one more game with a lot to play for. 

"For us, it's how can we compete more and build belief and have a bit of mongrel about us, because we know that if we do play our best, we can beat them."

CommBank T20I tour of New Zealand

Australia T20 squad: Tahlia McGrath (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand T20 squad: Suzie Bates (c), Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu

First T20 | Australia win by eight wickets

Second T20 | Australia win by 82 runs

Third T20 | March 26: Sky Stadium, Wellington

All games start at 12.45pm AEDT, 2.45pm NZDT and will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports