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“I was about to retire”: Mitchell Marsh’s cheeky take on abandoned 2nd T20I vs NZ

Soumyajit Dutta

Mitchell Marsh's cheeky dig [Source: @diablo_kells/X.com]Mitchell Marsh's cheeky dig [Source: @diablo_kells/X.com]

Persistent rain had the final say in the second T20I between Australia and New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, leading to an abandonment after just 2.1 overs of play. The match, reduced to a nine-overs-per-side contest after a lengthy delay, saw Australia struggle to 11/1 before the weather intervened once again, leaving the visitors with a 1-0 series lead.

The brief period of action featured a peculiar struggle from Australian captain Mitchell Marsh, who found himself bogged down early in the high-tempo, shortened format. The abandonment spared both teams further frustration and set the stage for a series decider in the final match.

Marsh reveals near-retirement thoughts

Speaking after the match was called off, the Australian skipper injected humour into the frustrating situation, making a light-hearted admission about his difficult start at the crease during the abbreviated game.

“Days like today are always difficult. We tried our best to get a game for the crowd. The weather won today. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good day. A trophy like the Chappell-Hadlee holds a lot of history for both teams. I was one of five in a nine-over game and never felt so much pressure in my whole career. It was nice to walk off, I was actually about to retire myself,” said Marsh to reporters after the match.

At the time of the stoppage, Marsh was unbeaten on 9 runs, while Matthew Short was on 2. The only wicket to fall was Travis Head, dismissed for 5 off just 3 balls by Jacob Duffy.

Bracewell rues missed opportunity for New Zealand

New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell expressed his team's disappointment at missing a chance to level the series, acknowledging the improved performance from their first-game loss despite the limited play.

“We wanted to play a game, but the weather didn't play ball tonight. We spoke about nailing the plans. Pleasing to see the improvement from a couple of days ago. You want to start well in a 3-match series, but had a disappointing start with the loss. You feel for the guys that miss out, and you want to give guys opportunities to play,” said Bracewell.

The two teams will now meet in the third and final T20I at the same venue, with the series outcome and the prestigious Chappell-Hadlee Trophy on the line.