India beat New Zealand by four wickets in record T20 chase in Christchurch
India chased down 226 in 19.4 overs to win the series opener after New Zealand posted their highest home T20 total against them, 225-4.
At a glance
- India beat New Zealand by four wickets in Christchurch to lead the five-match T20 series 1-0.
- New Zealand made 225-4, their highest home T20 total against India, with Glenn Phillips unbeaten on 82.
- Sanju Samson hit 67 off 33 balls as India completed their highest successful T20 chase in 19.4 overs.
India beat New Zealand by four wickets in Christchurch on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in their five-match T20 series, completing their highest successful run chase after the hosts posted 225-4.
Put in to bat, New Zealand made the most of favourable conditions. Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen gave the hosts a platform, reaching 65-1 in the powerplay, with Allen hitting 45 off 24 balls. Glenn Phillips then took charge with an unbeaten 82 off 40 deliveries, including eight fours and three sixes, while Bevon Jacobs added 31 before being run out. The total was New Zealand's biggest T20 score against India on home soil.
India's bowlers struggled to contain the scoring, with all five used conceding 10 runs an over or more. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing his first T20 international in four years after last featuring against New Zealand in 2022, returned figures of 0-49.
Openers set the platform
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma put on a 93-run opening stand, with Samson striking 67 off 33 balls, including eight fours and four sixes, as India reached 94-1 in the powerplay. New Zealand then removed three batters in quick succession to stall the chase.
Shreyas Iyer, the India captain, countered with 42 off 28 balls to wrest back the momentum, and Naman Dhir finished the job with 42 not out as India sealed victory in 19.4 overs in a 226-run chase.
"When they [the openers] click, they set up the game for us, and the rest of us try to steady the ship and finish," Iyer said. "He [Dhir] gives us lots of options. I personally feel the calm and composed nature he showed tonight, it was magnificent."
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his side were not at their best. "They [Indian openers] put us under pressure. Another big powerplay from them," he said. "In the middle, we did well to squeeze them. Tight game and both teams might look at things that could have gone here or there."
The second T20 will be played on Saturday in Christchurch.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Who won the first T20 between India and New Zealand?
- India won by four wickets in Christchurch on Thursday, chasing 226 in 19.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
- How many runs did Sanju Samson and Glenn Phillips score?
- Sanju Samson hit 67 off 33 balls for India, with eight fours and four sixes. Glenn Phillips was unbeaten on 82 off 40 balls for New Zealand, including eight fours and three sixes.
- When is the second T20 between India and New Zealand?
- The second match of the five-match series will be played on Saturday in Christchurch.
