Australia overcame a mighty scare to defeat New Zealand by two wickets with seven balls to spare in the opening T20 of their three game series at North Sydney Oval.

Georgia Plimmer (85 not out from 68 balls) and Maddy Green’s (56* from 37) unbroken 127-run partnership lifted New Zealand to 2/162 from their 20 overs, but Australia’s batting depth ensured that they scraped home.

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Ellyse Perry (52 off 30) led the way for the hosts as she smacked nine boundaries to register her 12th half-century in T20 internationals.

Australia appeared in complete control when Perry and Beth Mooney (38 off 25) were together at the crease, but Mooney was run out to end their 86-run stand and open the door for the visitors.

Perry fell shortly after and her departure triggered a wobble of 5/43 with Georgia Wareham (10 off 7), Ash Gardner (23 off 17), Annabel Sutherland (9 off 5) and Nicola Carey (3 off 4) all falling.

SCORECARD: All the scores from the first T20

Ellyse Perry of Australia celebrates scoring a half century with Ashleigh Gardner of Australia during game one in the Women’s T20 International series between Australia and New Zealand at North Sydney Oval on October 18, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Wareham gifted rival leg spinner and New Zealand captain Melie Kerr her only wicket of an expensive four-over spell of 1/50 when she cut a simple catch to point.

Gardner was undone by a lack of bounce from the older Kerr sister, Jess (who led the way for the visitors with 3/25 from her four overs), to be trapped lbw on review.

Sutherland then holed out in the deep and Carey was a casualty of calamitous run out.

Captain Sophie Molineux (11 off 5) looked like she might finish the job alongside Tahlia McGrath (6* off 9) before she was bowled attempting to ramp a full toss with only four runs to win.

The responsibility of hitting the winning runs was left to No.10 Kim Garth, who flayed Bree Illing (1/33) behind point for a boundary to get off the mark on the ninth ball she faced.

Sophie Molineux of Australia and team mates leave the field at the end of the first innings during game one in the Women’s T20 International series between Australia and New Zealand at North Sydney Oval on October 18, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

With the ball, Garth (1/34) knocked over New Zealand opener Flora Devonshire (1) to give Australia an ideal start.

Sutherland (1/28) dismissed Melie Kerr shortly after, but the Australians failed to take another wicket.

Instead, the spin duo of Molineux (0/25) and Wareham (0/25) kept things tight from their four overs each to ensure the New Zealand innings never got out of control despite Plimmer and Green’s big partnership.



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