Suryakumar Yadav (62) and Rohit Sharmaౠ (48) starred with the bat as India chased down 165 to defeat New Ze🍎aland by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Wednesday.
Chasing 165 for victory, India got off to a flying start as Rohit and KL Rahul added 50 runs for the opening wicket in just five overs. But, Mitchell Santner s𝓀oon dismissed Rahul on 15. Suryakumar then joined Rohit in the middle, and the duo took the hosts` close🧸 to the target.
The Black Caps got the much-needed breakthrough in the 14th over when Trent Boult removed India skipper Rohit just two runs short of his half-c๊entꦯury. However, Suryakumar continued to smash the bowlers across the ground and completed his fifty off just 34 balls.
The Men in Blue were in a commanding position, but the quick wickets of Suryakumar (62) and Shreyas Iyer (5) saw the hosts needing ten runs off the final over. All-rounder Daryl Mitchell was handed over the ball by NZ skipper Tim Southee, but it was Rishabh Pant 🌳(17*) who managed♚ to take India over the finish line.
Earlier, Martin Guptill and Mark Chapman played crucial knﷺocks of 70 and 63 respectively as New Zealand posted 164/6 on a good batting surface.
- New Zealand: 164/6 (Martin Guptill 70, Mark Chapman 63; Ravichandran Ashwin 2-23)
- India: 166/5 (Suryakumar Yadav 62, Rohit Sharma 48; Trent Boult 2-31)
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Well done ♔team india 🇮🇳 good win well played .. congratulat♋ions
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
What a finish 💥
Despite a commendable effort from New Zealand in the death, India clinch a thriller in the final over to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series༺.
— ICC (@ICC)
Some brilliant ൲batting on display as start the🥂 Rohit-Dravid Era with a win to go 1-0 in the series! 🇮🇳
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders)
Excellent start to the new era of Indian cricket. Congratulaꦏtions team India on the victory.
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R)
A thrilling game of cricket saw🌊 end up on the right🦩 side of the result 🤩
Surya registered his hi𝓀ghest T20I score, while Rohit played some glor♛ious shots and Pant held his nerve under pressure to finish things off 🔥
The new era gets off to a good start 💙
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals)
Congratulations ?
Job well done 🏏🔥— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima)
Tight finish, but good win for India after poor performance in T20❀WC. Kiwis paid price for poor finish. With 8-10 runs more to defend may have been a different result. Credit though for keeping their nerve anꦡd taking match so deep. Dravid and Rohit will heave sigh of relief
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
A winning star𓄧t ꦜto the series 🔥 pulled off a nail-biting win in Jaipur 🙌
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers)
4 – 0 – 23 – 2
A memorable spell 🍰in his 50th T20I game! Well done, Ashwin. 💙👏
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan)
India vs New Zealand in T20Is:
In World Cups:
Played 3
India won 0
NZ won 3Outside World Cups:
Played 15
India won 9
NZ won 6— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
To neW beginnings 🥳💥
📸 🦁💛
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL)
