Black Caps lose first T20 vs India
- editor59343
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 minutes ago
India have made no contest of the first T20 against the Black Caps winning by 40 runs after making 238-7 - Abhishek Sharma hammering eight sixes in his 35-ball innings of 84.
In reply Glenn Phillips struck a quick 78 from 40 balls withe four fours and six sixes but New Zealand finished on 190-7 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
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Earlier, Abhishek, currently the top-ranked T20 batsman in the world, led India's charge looking unfazed by the dismissals of opening partner Sanju Samson and number three Ishan Kishan.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav had gone 22 innings without a fifty in T20 Internationals and while he fell short of the mark again, he looked fluent in his 32.
Hardik Pandya (25) departed after a cameo before Rinku Singh provided the late assault, plundering 21 runs in the final over from Daryl Mitchell.
The best of the Black Caps bowlers was Jacob Duffy with 2-21 from four overs, Kyle Jamieson took 2-54 while Mitchell Santner, Kristian Clarke and Ish Sodhi nabbed one each.
Rinku's unbeaten 44 off 20 balls included three sixes. New Zealand slumped to 52-3 in the seventh over in their wobbly start to a difficult chase.
Phillips counter-attacked in spectacular style and Mark Chapman (39) also stepped on the gas but both fell to spin in quick succession as India regained control.
Spinner Axar Patel, who removed Phillips, left the field with a bleeding thumb in the 16th over but India had enough bowling resources to restrict New Zealand well behind their target.
Devon Conway was out for a duck, Tim Robinson got a start with 21 while Rachin Ravindra was out for one.
Down the order Santner hit 20, Mitchell 28 and Clarke no score with Jamieson not out one.
The second T20 is in Raipur on Friday.
