New Zealand vs Australia, Final at Dubai, T20 World Cup, Nov 14 2021 - Match Result

10.08pm: Chocks away! The Ring of Fire is a ring of fireworks, as Australia get their hands on the T20 World Cup for the first time. What an outstanding Ashes appetiser campaign it's been for them, everything clicked at the right time, and they will now go into next year's tournament on home soil as the defending champions. Right, Karthik Krishnaswamy's report is loading, and we'll have plenty more to come on the site. Thanks for your comments, as always, and for sticking with us through the comp - five years without a men's T20 World Cup, but it's been worth the wait. From Sid, Chandan and myself, as well as the guys at the ground and the rest of the team, it's cheerio for now. Time for an ice bath. Byeeeeeeeeee!

9.50pm: Time for the presentations, after some almighty faffing. Player of the Match is Mitchell Marsh: "I don't really have words, what an amazing six weeks with this group. Love them to death. World champs. [No3] The coaching staff came up to me in the West Indies and said you're going to bat three for this tournament, and I jumped at it. Have the staff to thank for backing me and getting me up the top there. [Six first ball] Not a whole lot of thinking that goes into it. Wanted to have a presence, be in the contest, go out there and play my game. It's unbelievable."

Player of the Tournament is David Warner, a supreme turnaround for him after being dropped by his IPL side in the run-up: "I always felt good, for me it was about going back to basics, getting on some hard, synthetic wickets in order to hit volumes of balls. Definitely up there with 2015 [World Cup], losing to England a decade ago really hurt. These are a great bunch of guys, great support staff, and great support around the world, especially back home. Always pumped, wanted to put on a spectacle. There were some nerves around as always in a final but great to see the guys deliver."

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson: "We were trying to get a platform, the surface was holding a fraction. Nice to build some partnerships and get what we thought was a competitive total, only to be chased superbly. They're a fantastic side, had a brilliant campaign and came out and turned it on. [Thought you had enough?] You never really know, at halfway we made every effort to get a good total. We weren't far away. Credit to the way Australia chase it, they didn't give us an inch. Wasn't to be today, but proud of how we've operated. Guys committed to what we tried to do in venues that varied a lot. There was a lot of heart shown, always nice to get to the big dance. But credit to Australia again. Some high hopes coming in, some good cricket played, so we're feeling it a bit. There are only two possible outcomes, shame we couldn't get the job done."

Australia captain Aaron Finch: "This is huge, to be the first Australia team to do it. So proud of how the guys went about the campaign. [Bangladesh game turning point?] Certainly was, backs were against the wall. We had to fight and certainly did that, had some great team and individual performances. [Warner] Can't believe people wrote him off a couple of weeks ago, it was almost like poking the bear. [Zampa] Player of the tournament for mine, controlled the game, got big wickets, super player. Mitch Marsh, what a way to start, put pressure on from the start. Matt Wade came in under an injury cloud and got the job done. He came in in the semi-final alongside Marcus Stoinis and did the business."

9.35pm: Clinical from Australia, they've overcome some indifferent form and a reputation for treating T20 as a second-class format. True, Finch winning six tosses from seven helped the cause, but then the old instincts took over. NZ were up against it after being inserted, but crawling along to 57 for 1 from 10 turned out to be too much of a stumbling block; the wait to finally beat big brother when it matters goes on

Zainulabeddin : "Congratulations Australia for your maiden T20 title. Aaron Finch, the mighty captain. Mitchell Marsh star of the final. David Warner, you beauty, we know we will miss you in our Hyderabad's orange jersey, but lots of love, respect and happiness to you.y.."

Kapila Vishnu: "Someone spoke about AUS winning the major trophies every 6 years from 2003. It has come true tonight."

Deepankar DM: "Just pray that this doesn't open the floodgates like it did for the 50-over WC's and Champions Trophies!!! Signs are ominous though with the next world T20 in a year IN Australia!!"

"Recipe for success in 2021: Experience and Yellow Jersey. CSK then, Australia today." Plus Josh Hazlewood in both cases, Vijit Mahaur

AussieBren: "B4 someone goes 'YoU wIN the TosS yoU wIn tHe GaMe', aint no dew tonight lads, the Kiwis just got slightly outplayed. Both teams deserved to win after the tournament they have had, just Australia had that bit extra tonight. Besides you have a chance next year :D"

9.25pm: Straya take the spoils, Dubai of the tiger from Aaron Finch's men. No one looks more delighted than Mitch Marsh, who greets his team-mates with something approaching wide-eyed disbelief after a classy innings of 77 from 50 set them up in the chase. New Zealand runners-up again. Character is destiny? Maybe the toss, too. They gave it a crack, Kane Williamson's puckish 85 setting up a score that might have been defendable on another night. But David Warner and Marsh, the Bull and the Bison, locked horns and steadily wore down the opposition

"It's huge", says Matt Wade, "felt like a lot of people wrote us off but we spoke about being the first team to do this for Australia and it feels really special."

"We love each other, I'm so proud of this team," adds Marcus Stoinis. "You won't find bigger supporters of Mitch Marsh than us and his family."

Mitchell Starc has praise for Adam Zampa: "He's been fantastic, our best bowler for the last couple of years. It's made it really easy for us quickies to work around him, we're pretty confident in what we do and just run off the back of Zamps. It makes the bowling group, we know our roles and can do our job a lot clearer"

Josh Hazlewood on Williamson's 85, the joint-highest individual score in a men's T20WC final: "He's a superb player, another classical Kane innings, runs all around the ground and hurts you when you bowl poorly."

Steven Smith adds that Warner "came out with exceptional intent today. Him and Mitchell Marsh, that partnership really set us up for the game, They've had great tournaments."

"Now England will have to put up with this Australia on the plane back for the Ashes." I think, Rabi, they'll have made separate travel arrangements [Edit: No, turns out they're on the same charter flight. Awkward!]

Milne again, 14 needed. Waltzing Matildas time

"Fellas, change your insights on toss luck," blasts Shathesh. "I'm pretty damn sure Aussies would have set a steeper target than NZ, they have a lot of firepower down the order. Just like CSK did it in IPL finals in this very same venue. Oh the boys in yellow... well done."

"You feel if there were an ODI championship for 'unluckiest-but-otherwise best' team that NZ would finish second :(" snorts philip m mccarty

Boult is back to bowl out now. He has fine figures of 2 for 8. Australia at 98%, if you were wondering

"NZ holding back Boult's last over for the presentation ceremony?" scoffs Craig, incredulously