Australia edge New Zealand for series lead but Perry flags a deeper worry

Australia chased down New Zealand's 162 to take the series lead in the women's T20I bilateral, but captain-level candid comments from Ellyse Perry about an unclinical finish point to a process risk. New Zealand's 162/2 — anchored by Georgia Plimmer's career-best 85 not out off 68 balls and Maddy Green's 56 not out off 37 — left wicket capital unused. - New Zealand finished 162/2, with 8 wickets in hand at the end of 20 overs. - The Plimmer-Green third-wicket stand was an unbroken 127 runs. - Plimmer struck at 125.0; Green struck at 151.4 across the same partnership. - Perry described Australia's chase as not as clinical as we would have liked. - Powerplay performance is the decisive phase both teams referenced. Source: ICC match report | Cross-checked: cricsultan.com Q: Why is New Zealand's 162/2 considered below par? A: Because eight wickets in hand suggests the team failed to convert wickets into runs in the final overs, a recurring structural inefficiency tracked in the cricsultan.com Wicket Capital Index. Q: What is Australia's biggest risk after winning this match? A: Middle-order and death-over control, flagged by their own senior player rather than by the scoreboard. Q: What makes Georgia Plimmer's 85 not out notable? A: It was a career-best innings scored under early pressure after New Zealand slipped to roughly 35/2.