LAHORE: Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner starred as Australia overran New Zealand by 97 runs to jumpstart their defence of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Healy looked a million dollars for her 55, her highest score in the format since the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final, as Australia racked up 173-9. The White Ferns lost Suzie Bates with the first ball of their reply and they were rolled for 76 in 14 overs. Gardner was the chief destroyer with a sublime spell of 5-12, by some way her best T20I bowling figures, the five-time champions starting off with a dominant victory. Brief scores: Australia beat New Zealand at Boland Park, Paarl by 97 runs Australia 173 for nine in 20 overs (Alyssa Healy 55, Ellyse Perry 40; Amelia Kerr 3-23, Lea Tahuhu 3-37) vs New Zealand 76 all out in 14 overs (Amelia Kerr 21, Bernadine Bezuidenhout 14; Ashleigh Gardner 5/12, Megan Schutt 2/8) Player of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner (Australia).