Australia Women beat New Zealand Women by 2 wickets, with 7 balls remaining, in the 1st T20I of the tour at North Sydney Oval, Sydney, on 18 Oct 2026. Chasing 162/2, Australia Women reached 165/8 in 18.5 overs.
Australia Women won the toss and elected to bowl first. Kim Garth bowled Flora Devonshire for 1 in the third over, leaving New Zealand Women at 5/1, and Annabel Sutherland removed Melie Kerr for 9, caught by Hamilton, to make it 35/2. GE Plimmer and ML Green then batted through the remainder of the innings unbeaten. Plimmer finished on 85 not out from 68 balls with 10 fours and 1 six, while Green made 56 not out from 37 balls with 6 fours and 1 six as New Zealand Women closed on 162/2 from their 20 overs.
Sutherland returned 1/28 from her 4 overs and Garth 1/34 from 4 overs.
Australia Women lost Georgia Voll lbw to Bree Illing for 0 in the first over, at 0/1. Beth Mooney made 38 from 25 balls before she was run out by Illing at 86/2, and Ellyse Perry top-scored with 52 from 30 balls, including 9 fours, before she was caught by Sharp off Jess Kerr at 102/3.
The chase then tightened. Georgia Wareham fell for 10 at 115/4, and Jess Kerr struck twice in the 15th over, trapping Ashleigh Gardner lbw for 23 and having Annabel Sutherland caught by Sharp for 9, reducing Australia Women to 142/6. Nicola Carey was run out for 3 at 145/7 and Sophie Molineux was bowled by Mair for 11 at 159/8, but Australia Women got home with 7 balls to spare.
Jess Kerr was New Zealand Women's leading bowler with 3/25 from her 4 overs, while Illing took 1/33 from 3.5 overs.