Australia have pulled off the highest successful run chase in the history of Twenty20 cricket in an extraordinary night at Eden Park in Auckland.

The Australians chased down a target of 244 with an incredible seven balls to spare thanks largely to a 121-run opening stand between David Warner and D’Arcy Short in just 8.3 overs. They finished on 5-245 from 18.5 overs, reports .

At the same venue where these two sides played a low-scoring 50-over thriller at the 2015 World Cup, which the Black Caps won by one wicket, the Australians this time finished victorious.

Australia’s score is the highest winning total in the second innings of not just T20 international cricket, but all 20-over cricket including the domestic level.

The previous mark was the 6-236 that West Indies posted from 19.2 overs in their win against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2015.

New Zealand domestic side Central Districts posted a score of 4-248 in the second innings of their match against Otago in 2016, but that was in a losing effort.

India’s score of 4-244 against the Windies in 2016 was also in a losing cause.

New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro had earlier hammered 132 for the first wicket in less than 11 overs, the pair hitting 11 fours and 10 sixes during their partnership.

Munro departed for 76 from just 33 balls but Guptill continued the assault and brought up his second T20 century from just 49 balls, topping Brendon McCullum’s mark of 50 deliveries as the fastest T20 hundred by a Black Cap.

The hosts finished on 6-243 from their 20 overs, their innings including 14 fours and 18 sixes.

But skipper Warner (59 from 24 balls) and opening partner Short (76 from 44) immediately put Australia on course for victory, bringing up the 50 partnership in just four overs and the 100 in 7.1 overs. The Aussies were 135 at the halfway point of the innings.

Chris Lynn (18 from 13), Glenn Maxwell (31 from 14) and Aaron Finch (36no from 14) finished the job, the tourists cruising to victory in singles and winning with more than an over remaining.