Australia savaged over 'horrible' scenes in T20 World Cup opener

Australia have been savaged around the cricket world after being handed an embarrassing flogging at the hands of New Zealand in their T20 World Cup opener.

Attempting to become the first team to win the tournament on home soil, Australia's campaign got off to a horror start on Saturday night as the Black Caps plundered 3-200 while batting first.

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Australia could only muster 111 in reply, spun out by Mitchell Santner (3-31) and comprehensively beaten by Tim Southee (3-6) as they were dismissed in just 17.1 overs in an 89-run thrashing.

Only Glenn Maxwell passed 20 runs in Australia's top and middle-order with 28, but even his glimmer of a return to form came as the hosts lost wickets at a rapid rate.

The defeat means Australia will likely need to win their last four group games to have any chance of advancing to the semi-finals.

That run will include a tough clash with the No.1-ranked England on Friday night in Melbourne, as well as Sri Lanka on Tuesday in Perth - plus Ireland and Afghanistan in the next fortnight.

But even victories in all those matches may not be enough for Aaron Finch's men if results go against them, after their net run-rate copped a hammering in the heavy defeat to New Zealand.

"You still have to be positive," Finch said after the match.

"We still back ourselves that we can win four and we need a bit of luck along the way.

"We still feel as though we've got the right structure of team and the right players to win the World Cup.

"But obviously it has taken a big hit today."

Fans and commentators were quick to take aim at Australia over their 'horrible' display in the tournament opener.

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Australia were always behind the eight-ball when Mitchell Starc's opening over went for 14 after Finch won the toss and bowled first.

Black Caps opener Devon Conway smashed 92 not out from 58 balls, as no Australian bowler was spared in the assault.

Josh Hazlewood was the hosts' best with 2-41 but still went at 10 an over, while Starc (0-36), Pat Cummins (0-46), and Adam Zampa (1-39) were all expensive.

In a dominant knock, Conway hit Zampa for two sixes and drove both Cummins and Hazlewood with relative ease as he helped the Kiwis to their highest World Cup total.

Fellow opener Finn Allen also justified his selection ahead of Martin Guptill, with a 16-ball blitzkrieg at the top that helped him to 42.

"I have to give a lot of credit to Finn and the way he played," Conway said.

"The way he put them under pressure allowed me to get those balls that were slightly looser.

"In T20 cricket if you put bowlers under pressure, no matter how good they are, it's a tough gig."

Australia's innings never showed any signs of getting going in what finished as their biggest-ever loss at the T20 World Cup.

Their night was summed up when David Warner was bowled by a Southee ball that bounced off his bat twice and thigh-pad once before hitting the stumps.

Finch threatened when he dispatched Trent Boult deep into the Bill O'Reilly stand off the first ball he faced from the left-armer, but he fell in the next over for 13, hitting Santner straight to cover.

Mitch Marsh, Tim David and Marcus Stoinis were all caught in the deep, with the latter removed by a superb catch when Glenn Phillips dived full-length near the boundary.

with AAP

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