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The India we expected in T20 World Cup showed up at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. The new-look Indian side led by Rohit Sharma took an unassailable lead in the three-match series with an seven-wicket win over New Zealand. With toss going India’s way, the top order batters made short work of the par total set by the Kiwis, chasing down the total with 15 balls to spare. The win also marked a series-winning start for Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid duo.
Rahul-Rohit domination
The attacking duo took on the Kiwi challenge head-on and created, equalled a few records midway. India were right on track in the run chase with 45 runs in the powerplay overs. They accelerated in the middle overs and hit Kiwis out of the game with a flurry of fours and sixes. Rohit hit as many as five sixes in his innings in his 36-ball 55. On the other hand, Rahul scored 65 runs off 49 deliveries including six fours and two sixes. The two shared a dominating 117-run opening partnership.
Pant finishes it off after hiccups
After Rahul’s wicket, Venkatesh Iyer was promoted up the order. With Rohit following him back to the dressing room in the 16th over along with Suryakumar Yadav, India needed to finish off the run chase instead of dragging it till the last over like the previous game. Pant ensured that the game does not go any further with consecutive sixes off James Neesham to end the run chase early making up for the run-a-ball 17 in the previous encounter.
Lightning start for Kiwis
Dropped in first over by KL Rahul, Martin Guptill looked in prime of his hitting abilities in the powerplay overs. Guptill took on Indian pacers during his 31-run knock off 15 deliveries including three fours and two sixes. Daryl Mitchell also contributed from the other end as the BlackCaps posted 64 runs in the powerplay overs. However, Guptill’s carnage ended early as Deepak Chahar got his wicket in the second consecutive game.
Ashwin-Axar make Kiwis struggle
Ravichandran Ashwin has been in impressive form after his five-year absence from the T20I team. Ashwin took the solitary wicket of Tim Seifert but gave just 19 runs from his four overs. Bowling in tandem with Ashwin, Axar Patel troubled Kiwi middle-order as well. The left-arm spinner got the wicket of half-centurion of previous game, Mark Chapman. Also, he conceded 26 runs from four overs.
Harshal’s T20I debut & silent death overs
The purple cap winner of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 made an impact straightaway on his T20I debut. Patel bowled a couple of overs in the middle and brought back to bowl in death overs. First, he got the wicket of Mitchell in his second over. In death overs, he took the wicket of Glenn Phillips after getting hit for a six in the 17th over and bowling a no ball. He came back well in his next over conceding just six runs in the penultimate over. The 30-year-old gave just 25 runs from his four overs and picked up a couple of wickets. In last 23 balls, not a single boundary was scored. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Chahar kept the Kiwi lower-middle order quiet and restricted them for 153/6.
