IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: 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

New Zealand were bowled on a pitch that turned, and they were expected to bowl in the dew. However, they were able to score just enough off the fast bowlers of India to win the game. New Zealand reached 176 with half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway and an early burst from Finn Allen. After that, they immediately went into spin, in contrast to India, which did not have the advantage of knowing it was turning.

New Zealand scored 119 runs off 10 overs of pace, but only 56 runs off the spinners’ 10 overs. The ball didn’t quite turn into a bar of soap and kept gripping on New Zealand’s spinners because of the sharply cut grass.

By taking a wicket with the first ball, bowling a maiden in the powerplay, and returning to take Deepak Hooda in the 16th over to win the game, Captain Mitchell Santner demonstrated his shrewdness and skill. The fact that pacer Jacob Duffy bowled his first two overs for 10 and a wicket was the only significant difference between the two teams. However, once the asking rate started to rise, this pitch proved to be too challenging for Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav.

HIGHLIGHTS

Finn Allen blazes away

Allen appreciated the freedom this format provides batters, coming off consecutive ducks in an ordinary ODI series. With only two fielders out, he began by mishitting the ball before slamming it around. His 35 off 22 made New Zealand 43 for 0 in 4.1 overs.

Washington Sundar applies the brakes

Washington Sundar bowled one of those four overs. He refused to give the batters anything full because the ball gripped for him. Even though Allen was able to slog-sweep him for a six at the beginning of the subsequent over, he ended up dragging the subsequent slog-sweep to deep midwicket, which was placed squarer than usual. Only three runs came off that over.

Today was the day of Washington Sundar. Firstly, he bowled well, conceded just 22 runs in 4 overs and took 2 important wickets.
He fielded well.
Than he batted outstandingly, made quick 50 runs and pushed India close to the total.
It was his day against New Zealand #INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/QLil0IWCm2

— Rakesh Kashyap (@RakeshMishra00) January 27, 2023

Washington experimented with Mark Chapman in the same over before making a spectacular one-handed return catch while diving full length to his right. India quickly switched to additional spin, using Deepak Hooda even though it meant bowling in the powerplay. In seven overs, it has reached 54 for 2 now.

Devon Conway carries on

For New Zealand, someone had to bat well in the middle overs because they still needed a big score because of the expected dew. During the Allen fireworks, Conway was the only one who got a strike. With the return of pace, he got going, scoring 16 off the eighth over, bowled by Umran Malik.

With a wide range of sweeps and strong wrists, Conway was able to position himself against the spinners. Conway kept scoring runs in the middle overs despite Mitchell and Glenn Phillips’ inability to run the ball. He and Mitchell ultimately decided to play Washington and Kuldeep Yadav to prepare for the final overs.

Two good overs, two ordinary ones

Regardless of which side you support, that description above will remain the same. By hitting the first and last balls for sixes down the ground, Mitchell was able to take a respectable 16th over from Pandya. In overs 18 and 19, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi made great comebacks, allowing only ten runs to be scored, which resulted in the wickets of Conway, Michael Bracewell, and Santner.

Arshdeep, on the other hand, overstepped once and missed his yorker in the 20th. Mitchell paid the full price: 23 runs from the first three balls that were legal. Arshdeep returned with three yorkers, but New Zealand still managed a respectable total provided that the dew did not prove to be a significant disadvantage. Mitchell started with 17 off 16 and finished with 59 off 30.

India lose early wickets

The strategy was clear for the second innings of bowling: Get spinners on early before the dew makes it difficult. Ishan Kishan was bowled by Bracewell with a beauty using the new ball, but Duffy came out on top. He also killed Rahul Tripathi and was difficult to escape.

In three overs, India were 15 for 2 when Santner came on. India may have realized that this wasn’t quite a match they could take seriously, so they lowered their asking rate and won. Shubman Gill didn’t look Santner in the eye. He set himself up for the pull when he saw the first ball pitch a length short, but he was stopped by a huge turn that made it easy for him to catch the top edge.

When Santner bowled a maiden to Suryakumar during the powerplay, his control of his craft was on full display, helped along by the gripping pitch. After six, India is 33 for 3.

Mitchell Santner swings middle-overs tussle New Zealand’s way

India remained in the hunt thanks to a variety of sweeps from Suryakumar and Pandya’s ground strikes. Even though they scored 41 on the first four overs, they needed 103 from the back ten. With a one-run over, Santner pulled India back once more. Suryakumar had only given up five of his 12 passes to him.

That over necessitated taking risks against Ish Sodhi in the subsequent over. One went in, but Suryakumar mistimed a chip shot and sent it too straight for a long-on catch. Pandya tried a big hit off Bracewell with 89 off the last eight required, but the ball didn’t turn and took the edge, leaving India needing a miracle.

Hooda and Washington scored just enough to keep India alive in the game as the towel began to appear more frequently. However, with 67 required off the final five, Santner experimented with Hooda’s pace and trajectory before stumping him.

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In his 50 off 28, Washington displayed defiance, but he lacked sufficient support and had too much to accomplish.