The first T20 International between India and New Zealand took place at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium in Ranchi on Friday. The match ended in a victory for New Zealand, with the Kiwis beating India by 21 runs.
The Indian team began the match on the wrong foot, as their top three batters were sent back to the pavilion for just 15 runs. However, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav put on a 68-run stand to steady the ship for the hosts. Despite their efforts, India’s lower order looked out of sorts in the death overs, and the team ultimately fell short of their target of 177 runs.
On the other hand, New Zealand got off to a great start, with openers Finn Allen and Dwayne Conway scoring 47 runs in the power play. They were followed by solid performances from Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, who both scored half-centuries to help the Kiwis post a daunting 176/6.
Washington Sundar emerged as the star performer for India, taking two wickets and scoring a fiery fifty – his first in the shortest format. However, his heroics were not enough to secure a win for his team.
Kiwi captain Santner, with his 2/11, was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers and was supported well by Lockie Ferguson and Michael Bracwell to stall India’s progress in the chase.
The Indian team will now look to bounce back and level the series 1-1 in the next match.
A total of 23 T20 matches have been played between India and New Zealand so far, with each team winning 10 games and 3 matches resulting in a draw. At the JSCA stadium in Ranchi, India has played 4 T20 matches and won 3.
Daryl Mitchell was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding half-century. He scored 59 runs in just 30 deliveries, with the help of 3 fours and 5 sixes. He truly turned the game around in the last over, and those extra 15-20 runs made the difference in the match.
Santner’s performance on the field was also noteworthy, as he bowled 18 dots in his 4-over spell, equaling Daniel Vettori’s record of bowling 18 dots against Bangladesh back in 2010.
The track at the JSCA stadium had an unexpected turn and helped the spinners in the second innings, which played a big role in New Zealand’s win.
With this win, New Zealand takes the lead in the three-match series. The next match is scheduled to take place on Sunday.
The playing XI for the India vs New Zealand 1st T20I was as follows:
India: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (Captain), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Dwayne Conway, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Isha Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.
New Zealand 176 for 6 (Mitchell 59*, Conway 52, Washington 2-22) beat India 155 for 9 (Washington 50, Suryakumar 47, Santner 2-11) by 21 runs
