Ashton Agar takes Australian T20I record figures of 6-30 as NZ denied third win: WATCH

Australian spinner Ashton Agar claimed record national figures of 6-30 against New Zealand at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Wednesday. He was adjudged as the ‘Player of the Match’ as Australia defeated the Black Caps by 64 runs to register their first win in the ongoing five-match T20I series. The match also marked captain Aaron Finch returning to form with his imperial 69-run knock.

New Zealand vs Australia 3rd T20: Australia win by 64 runs

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New Zealand vs Australia 3rd T20: Ashton Agar, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell star in an incredible win

Ashton Agar bowled out his four-over spell where he conceded just 30 runs and picked up six wickets. The left-arm spinner dismissed the likes of Martin Guptill, Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and later returned to clean up the tail. The aforementioned figures became Australia’s best bowling performance and the fifth-best overall across all T20Is.

Earlier, Australian captain and opening batsman Aaron Finch scored a free-flowing 69 from just 44 balls. He was ably assisted by charismatic all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who himself smacked a solid 31-ball 70 to turbo-charge his side’s innings. Australia posted a mammoth 208-4 and later restricted the hosts to just 144.  

Highlights from New Zealand vs Australia 3rd T20, watch video

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Ashton Agar injury

Back in January, the Ashton Agar injury prompted him to sit out of the entirety of the Big Bash League 2021 (BBL 2021) season. He sustained a calf injury while playing the third T20I against India. The ongoing series in New Zealand marks his return to the Australian squad after a gap of almost three months.  

Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon headline Australia’s spin attack

Ashton Agar played the last of his four Tests for Australia back in 2017. Despite being an irregular member of the Test squadron, the 27-year-old has solidified his position in Australia’s limited-overs line-ups in the past few years. So far, he has played 14 ODIs and 30 T20I matches for his country where he has managed to pick up 48 limited-overs wickets.

On the other hand, enigma machine Nathan Lyon has been commanding the Australian spin attack at the Test level. The veteran cricketer is currently the most successful off-spin bowler from his country, as he has picked a staggering 399 wickets from exactly a 100 Tests. Owing to their recent performances and track record, the Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon partnership is set to take Australia’s spin department in all formats for years to come.

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Image source: cricket.com.au