| 0.0 : Hello and welcome, ladies and gents, as the Feroz Shah Kotla hosts its second ever T20I match in its history. There are several things to focus on, but everything else will take a backseat as the local lad Ashish Nehra bids farewell to the cricketing world after tonight. His story is one of inspiration. He defied all odds, and his love for the game kept him adamant to not given in to his deteriorating body. Made his comeback into the team purely based on his performances and now, has been reward |
| Looking at the game, ironically, as things stand, New Zealand would be tipped favourites. Yes, India possess the momentum from the ODI series victory, but the Black Caps have dominated the Men in Blue in this format and played an actual T20I game in Delhi, although they lost. A new format brings about a fresh start and a new challenge, and you can be sure the two teams in question would be up for it. Should be a great game. The toss and other formalities will be coming up in a short while... |
| Pitch Report - Murali Kartik doing the pitch report along with Simon Doull says there are all the makings of a cracker here. States the boundaries are quite small on both sides of the ground. Mentions there's a fair sprinkling of grass, but also feels the surface is a bit cold, tacky, and his nail is going in. Questions if the new ball bowlers and spinners get some purchase. Simon adds he's intrigued to know the combinations, whether the teams will go with two spinners or one. Reiterates that th |
| Toss - Up goes the coin, Kane Williamson calls it correctly and NEW ZEALAND WILL FIELD! |
| New Zealand skipper, Kane Williamson decides to bowl first considering there will be plenty of dew around. Adds that rankings don't matter much when you are facing a team like India. He is disappointed to lose the ODI series and is hopeful that they will do better in this game. On their team combination, Kane replies that they have two frontline seamers and a couple of spinners in their ranks. |
| India skipper, Virat Kohli would have bowled first as well because of the dew. Feels the outfield is quick and the ball will come onto the bat. Regarding the dew factor, the Indian skipper believes that it will be there from ball one and hence no extra advantage for any team. On this being Ashish Nehra's last match, Kohli replies that he has been a great servant of the game and is a true gentleman who is keen to help the youngsters around. Informs that Shreyas Iyer is making his debut today. On |
| Both teams along with the officials have made their way out in the middle for the respective National Anthems. |
| It's time to play the game! Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are the Indian openers. New Zealand are beginning with the spin of Mitchell Santner. Rohit to take strike. A slip in place. Third man and fine leg inside the ring. Long off in place. All set, here we go... |
| 0.1 : M Santner to R Sharma, From around the wicket, it's floated up on middle, Rohit Sharma is forward as he pushes it to the covers. |
| 0.2 : M Santner to R Sharma, Sliding in with some extra bounce off the deck, takes Rohit a little by surprise and he gets hit on the thigh pad. |
| 0.3 : M Santner to R Sharma, First runs of the day for Sharma and India. He stands tall and works it past the mid-wicket fielder for a single. |
| 0.4 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Continues from around the wicket to Dhawan, a touch short in length on middle and leg, Dhawan swivels and pulls it to backward square leg. |
| 0.5 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Skidding off the surface and it comes to Dhawan quicker than he anticipates, kneels down to sweep but it goes off his pads behind on the leg side. A leg bye is taken. |
| 0.6 : M Santner to R Sharma, Short and flat on middle stump, firmly punched back to the bowler. A good first over from Santner, just two runs off it. |
| Trent Boult will bowl from the other end. |
| 1.1 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Ripper first up! Good length delivery in the off stump channel, moves away late and it draws Dhawan forward to play at it. It goes past the outside edge and thuds into the keeper's gloves. |
| 1.2 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Errs in line and it's put away without any problem. Angling down the leg side, Dhawan just has to get something on it and he puts his gloves into work. It goes off them and away to the fine leg fence for a boundary. |
| 1.3 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Consecutive boundaries! Just what India needed after a tighy first over. Fraction straight in line, that's all Dhawan needs as he flicks it away sweetly through backward square leg for another boundary. |
| 1.4 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Better from Boult. Keeps it outside off and on a length, Shikhar offers a firm punch to covers but can't beat the man there, who dives there to stop it. |
| 1.5 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Dropped! You've got to take those at this level, should have been taken. Shikhar Dhawan is a dangerous customer and he can make you pay. Short and wide outside off, the southpaw flays it and hits it straight to Santner at point. He tries taking it over his head but can't keep a hold of it. It goes behind and two runs are taken. Virat Kohli was dropped in the ODI series and he made them pay. Will we see the opener do the same here today? |
| 1.6 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Back of a length outside off, run down to third man for a single. |
| Tim Southee into the attack now. |
| 2.1 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Short of a good length on middle, Shikhar looks to pull it away but gets an inside edge onto his thigh pad. |
| 2.2 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Straighter in line, on middle and leg, worked away off the pads behind square on the leg side for a run. |
| 2.3 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, SIX! Top edge but it's gone all the way! The boundaries here are small so expect a lot of 'em to fly all the way, even if no proper connection is made. Short and well outside off, Rohit Sharma throws his hands at the width and gets a big top edge. Flies towards third man and just about goes over a leaping Trent Boult. Nice effort, timed the jump well too. Went just over him. |
| 2.4 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Shaping back in from a length, on middle stump, tucked away through the leg side for a single. |
| 2.5 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Slightly fullish in length and outside off, driven towards mid off for no run. |
| 2.6 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Dhawan, seeing the ball a little short, gives the charge and attempts to smash it through the covers. But Santner moves to his left and puts in a solid dive to stop it. |
| 3.1 : T Boult to R Sharma, Good length ball around the off stump line, tapped in front of cover. |
| 3.2 : T Boult to R Sharma, Short ball on middle, Rohit plays his favourite pull shot but doesn't time it well. Still manages to clear the mid-wicket fielder and takes a run. |
| 3.3 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Dhawan puts away another ball delivery. It's angling down leg on a shorter length, the left-hander pulls it away and across the fine leg fence for a boundary. |
| 3.4 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Back of a length on the stumps, doesn't rise as much as it goes under Dhawan's pull shot and hits him around the hips. |
| 3.5 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Shot! Boult has been a little expensive so far. It's outside off with some width on offer, Dhawan cuts it nicely past Martin Guptill, who's dive is rendered useless. It goes all the way to the boundary line. |
| 3.6 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Stays back to this shorter ball and keeps it out off the back foot. |
| 4.1 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Outside off on a length, comfortably guided to third man for a single. |
| 4.2 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Down the leg side, Dhawan with a attempted half-pull which misses. Wide called by the umpire. |
| Tim Southee to S Dhawan, FOUR! That's a lazy effort from Ish Sodhi! Dhawan just places this behind point and it's rocketing off the surface. The leggie at third man runs to his left, slides and gets his hand to it as well, but it still somehow goes under it and touches the rope. Southee is seen shaking his head, rightly disappointed with the effort. |
| 4.3 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Short of a length offering some room to Dhawan outside off, he cuts it square of the wicket and takes one. |
| 4.4 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Tight line, doesn't offer much to the batsman to work with. It's a length ball on off and Rohit can only punch it back to the bowler. |
| 4.5 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Just behind a length, Sharma with a slightly opened face taps it down in front of point and takes one. |
| 4.6 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Good length delivery aiming the top of off stump, steered straight to point and that'll be the end of the over. |
| Mitchell Santner is back into the attack. |
| 5.1 : M Santner to R Sharma, OOoohhh! Signs of life from the wicket! Santner drops it on middle and off, back of a driving length and it turns and grips. Beats the outside edge of Rohit's hanging bat and goes into the keeper's gloves. |
| 5.2 : M Santner to R Sharma, This one doesn't turn as much, so Sharma clips it away in front of square leg and crosses over. |
| 5.3 : M Santner to S Dhawan, A mistimed hit from Dhawan. He watches the ball pitched fuller so he positions himself for the sweep early. Off the inner half towards backward square leg, where Southee gets something on it with a dive. Takes the pace off it and this allows Sodhi to chase after it and keep it just inside the rope. Two runs saved. |
| 5.4 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Shorter ball from the spinner, pulled away on the leg side for a run. |
| 5.5 : M Santner to R Sharma, Lands it on a driving length, Sharma is down to sweep this time but he doesn't connect. |
| 5.6 : M Santner to R Sharma, FOUR! Takes the aerial route and gets the desired result. Sharma goes inside out to this fuller ball and lofts it over the covers to end the over with a boundary. 46/0 in the Powerplay, a decent one for the hosts. |
| Colin de Grandhomme is on to bowl. |
| 6.1 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, Length ball around off, cut away late down to third man for a single. |
| 6.2 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, Was there an edge? No, there isn't. Back of length ball outside off and it kicks off the deck, Rohit looks to cut but just misses. |
| 6.3 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, Dropped! Rohit Sharma is the one who gets a life this time 'round. Fuller ball around off, Rohit looks to clear long off but doesn't get the desired distance. Right to Southee who settles under it, but it slips right through his hands. Possibly the dew playing its part already, but now both openers survive a scare. Single taken. |
| 6.4 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, FOUR! Dhawan marches on! Fuller length ball on middle, he gets low and sweeps it through backward square leg for a boundary. |
| 6.5 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, Skidding again off the surface, catches Dhawan high on the thigh pads as he cannot put any bat on ball. |
| 6.6 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, Straight in line again, tucked away to backward square leg for a run. |
| So much dew that the groundsmen are out with the big rope and the Super Sopper doing its thing as well. |
| Ish Sodhi introduced into the bowling attack. |
| 7.1 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Flat, short and on middle, Dhawan adjusts well inside the crease before he pulls it hard to deep square leg. One run to the total. |
| 7.2 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Pushes it quicker through the air again, on a shorter length once more, Sharma is back as he punches it to the right of the bowler. |
| 7.3 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Much better. Slows it up as he flights it on middle, it turns a long way away and goes under Rohit's bat as he looks to sweep. |
| 7.4 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Connects the sweep this time as he places it through square leg, to the man in the deep for a single. |
| 7.5 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Googly around off, spins away but Dhawan picks it up quickly. Rocks back and places it behind square on the off side for one more. |
| 7.6 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Tossed up delivery outside off, pushed into the covers. |
| 8.1 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, From around the wicket, de Grandhomme bowls it full on middle and off. Shikhar Dhawan moves across his sticks and paddles it fine down the leg side aerially. Picks up a couple of runs for doing so. |
| 8.2 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, Comes to the batsman faster, skids off the deck once more, driven down to long off for a single. |
| 8.3 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, Short of a length on the stumps, pulled away through backward square leg. The fielder out in the deep takes some time to go to his right and get to the ball, and the second run is there for the taking, but the batsmen decide to settle for just the one. Not sure why. |
| 8.4 : de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, Pushed to the cover region by the batsman. They pick up a single. |
| 8.5 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, No ball! That's a beamer! Not intentional though, it just slipped out of his hands. The dew is heavy out there. Goes right over the batsman and the keeper behind, all the way to the boundary line. Five runs in total, a Free Hit on the way now... |
| de Grandhomme to R Sharma, Short ball around off, Sharma stands his ground and slaps it towards wide long off. Southee there is just inside the rope, he doesn't catch it for some reason. Or did it just slip out of his hands. Either way, it doesn't matter, two runs are taken. |
| 8.6 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, No ball! Another no ball, it's slipped out again. High full outside off, Sharma gets an edge which goes past the keeper and a run is taken. The umpire has a word with Williamson, tells him probably this is the last warning. Colin won't be taken off though, despite it being the second of the over, as it wasn't dangerous to the batsman in any way. |
| de Grandhomme to S Dhawan, FOUR! That's timed to perfection once more, Dhawan has been doing that all evening so far. Full and fired outside off, Dhawan drives it through the covers and beats the man in the deep. |
| 9.1 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Looped up ball outside off, knocked into the covers and a run is taken. |
| 9.2 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Makes use of his feet, gets to the pitch of the ball and works it to mid-wicket for a single. |
| 9.3 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, The batsman opens the face of the bat and helps it to third man. The batsmen have run through for a single. |
| 9.4 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Fuller in length, Shikhar plants his front foot forward and eases it through the cover region for one more. |
| 9.5 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Stays back to this flatter ball and punches it to long on. Single to the batsman. |
| 9.6 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Gets close to the pitch and mistimes the drive to long off for one. |
| Colin Munro on to have a go. |
| 10.1 : C Munro to S Dhawan, Comes from around the wicket and fires it full on the stumps, Dhawan off the inner half mistimes it towards mid on for a brisk single. |
| 10.2 : C Munro to R Sharma, SIX! He's hit that with a lot of power, has enough to clear the fence. Length ball on off, Sharma just muscles this down the ground. It's high in the air and has the distance on it this time. Easily sails into the stands for a biggie. With this, Rohit Sharma now has the most number of sixes in T20s for India. |
| 10.3 : C Munro to R Sharma, Waits for the ball to come to him, opens the face and dabs it to third man. Single added to the scoreboard. |
| 10.4 : C Munro to S Dhawan, Short of a good length, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single. |
| 10.5 : C Munro to R Sharma, FOUR! BANG! That's right in his arc and Sharma dispatches it. Full on the stumps, it's hammered straight back over the bowler's head for a rocketing boundary. |
| 10.6 : C Munro to R Sharma, Another short ball which is pulled through the mid-wicket region for one. |
| Mitchell Santner returns. |
| 11.1 : M Santner to R Sharma, Dropped shorter around off, pulled down to long on to bring Dhawan on strike. |
| 11.2 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Streaky way to bring it up but he's done it anyway. 3rd T20I fifty for Shikhar Dhawan! Shorter around off, skidding across, Dhawan looks to put bat on ball and gets an inside edge which whiskers past the leg stump towards short fine leg. A quick single is taken to get to the milestone. |
| 11.3 : M Santner to R Sharma, Played to the point region by the batsman. The batsmen have run through for a single. |
| 11.4 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Skips down the track to get close to the pitch and knocks it to long off for a single. |
| 11.5 : M Santner to R Sharma, Works it away through mid-wicket and gets off strike. |
| 11.6 : M Santner to S Dhawan, The 100 is up for India. A good start for them. It's come with a drive to long off for one run. |
| Ish Sodhi to bowl again. |
| 12.1 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, SIX! Saw it pitched marginally short, so Dhawan made good use of the depth of the crease to his advantage. Rocked back in jiffy and deposited it over the mid-wicket fence with a pull. |
| 12.2 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, FOUR! Floated up around off, Dhawan kneels down and drags the slog sweep over mid-wicket. Clears the infield and beats the man in the deep to pick up another boundary. With this, Dhawan has now made his highest score in T20 Internationals. |
| 12.3 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Drags the length back on this occasion, Dhawan stands tall and blocks. |
| 12.4 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, Moves out of the crease to this and places it between point and cover. Fetches himself a single with that. |
| 12.5 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, The batsman has punched the ball off the back foot square on the off side. The batsmen have picked up a couple of runs. |
| 12.6 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Tossed up leg spinner outside off, driven through to sweeper cover for a run to end the over. 14 runs from this over, India motoring along well here. |
| Tim Southee is back. |
| 13.1 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Fuller length delivery well outside off, Rohit reaches out to it and gets a bottom edge towards backward point. Quick single taken. |
| 13.2 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, Full ball speared outside off, it's slapped hard straight back down the ground. A run is taken as long off cuts it off. |
| 13.3 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Right in blockhole from Southee, Sharma digs it back out through the right of the bowler. One more taken. |
| 13.4 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, These two rotating strike well here. Dhawan backs away and steers the length ball just wide of the backward point before crossing over. |
| 13.5 : Tim Southee to R Sharma, Length ball angling in, Sharma mistimes the pull and finds long on with it. Another single. |
| 13.6 : Tim Southee to S Dhawan, SIX! That's right out of the screws! What a hit, stupendous shot! Length delivery going across Shikhar Dhawan, he swings his bat across the line and right from the meat of the bat, launches it into the mid-wicket stands for a maximum. |
| Another break in this game. The players are taking some refreshments as the groundstaff is out working on the dew again. A lot of it out there, only going to get worse as the game progresses. Also, Mitchell Santner is back into the attack. |
| 14.1 : M Santner to R Sharma, Bit slower through the air on middle and off, Sharma comes down the track and blocks it out. |
| 14.2 : M Santner to R Sharma, SIX! Slider around leg, and this is a big hit. Rohit Sharma makes room for himself and with all his might, sends it over long on for half a dozen. Pure power, that. 12th T20I fifty for Rohit Sharma! |
| 14.3 : M Santner to R Sharma, FOUR! Much more in control this time. Short and flat and Rohit latches onto this with a fearsome pull. Bangs it through mid-wicket and picks up a boundary. |
| 14.4 : M Santner to R Sharma, FOUR! Another one! This is turning out to be an expensive over for the Kiwis. Rohit leans into the full ball nicely and drives it sweetly through the covers for a boundary. |
| 14.5 : M Santner to R Sharma, Darted full on the stumps, off the inner half Sharma drags it through square leg for one. This is now the highest opening stand for India in T20Is. |
| 14.6 : M Santner to S Dhawan, Dot ball to end the over, but still a great one for India. 15 runs from it. Straighter one outside off, Dhawan looks to play the reverse sweep but misses. |
| Trent Boult to bowl now. |
| 15.1 : T Boult to R Sharma, SIX! TOP EDGED AND SIX! Think the message from the dugout is clear, either go after it or get out. Length ball on middle and leg, Sharma looks to play the scoop shot and gets a thick top edge. It's enough as it takes it all the way over the fine leg boundary for a maximum. |
| 15.2 : T Boult to R Sharma, Rohit has played the square drive. One run added to the total. |
| 15.3 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Off cutter on middle and off, Dhawan moves inside the line and slogs it over the square leg region. Nobody out there and it's gone all the way for a boundary. |
| 15.4 : T Boult to S Dhawan, FOUR! Boult has been all over the place today, hasn't been let off the hook too. Low full toss around off, Dhawan smacks it straight back past the bowler and gets another boundary to his name. |
| 15.5 : T Boult to S Dhawan, Short of a good length around off, Dhawan pulls it through mid-wicket and both batsmen take off. There is a shy at the bowler's end but the back-up isn't good, so the batsmen eventually complete the run. |
| 15.6 : T Boult to R Sharma, Flicked with the angle through mid-wicket for a brace. 18 off the over, this Indian pair has picked it up in the death overs. |
| 16.1 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, The batsman has been hit on the pads as he tried to sweep that one. |
| 16.2 : Ish Sodhi to S Dhawan, OUT! A wicket finally falls and it's Ish Sodhi who's provided the breakthrough. Lovely googly around off, Dhawan is down the track to hit it but it spins away from him and Latham behind the stumps takes the bails off with ease. Dhawan departs, but not before he's played a scintillating knock. |
| Hardik Pandya walks in at No.3. He's a hitter, everybody knows that, hence the promotion. He has the license to go berserk. |
| 16.3 : Ish Sodhi to H Pandya, Quicker one around off, Pandya gets a bottom edge as he looks to put bat on ball. |
| 16.4 : Ish Sodhi to H Pandya, OUT! The dangerous Pandya is gone! Ish Sodhi with his second of the over, a terrific delivery. Lands it on off and gets a lot of turn and bounce, Pandya hangs his bat to defend and the ball takes a feather behind. Latham takes it and appeals. The umpire raises his finger and the Indian all-rounder is sent back. |
| Skipper Virat Kohli arrives. |
| 16.5 : Ish Sodhi to V Kohli, Kohli is off the mark as he works it behind square on the leg side for a single. |
| 16.6 : Ish Sodhi to R Sharma, Short and wide outside off cut square of the wicket for a run. This could be a game-changing over for New Zealand, two runs and two wickets have come in it. |
| 17.1 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, FOUR! Another top edge and another boundary. Tossed up on middle, Sharma gets low to sweep but gets a top edge which flies behind on the leg side. Over short fine leg's head and away to the fence. |
| 17.2 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, Fired outside off, Sharma fails to connect with the cut and it goes off the keeper's gloves as well. A bye taken as the ball goes to short third man. |
| 17.3 : de Grandhomme to V Kohli, SIX! BOOM! Take that, Colin! Virat Kohli taking no time to settle in. Fuller ball on off, the Indian skipper stands firm and clobbers it over the long on boundary for a biggie. |
| 17.4 : de Grandhomme to V Kohli, Picks it off his pads and flicks it through backward square leg for a single. |
| 17.5 : de Grandhomme to R Sharma, The batsman works it down the leg side. One run added to the total. |
| 17.6 : de Grandhomme to V Kohli, In the air... but it's dropped! Seems Guptill has misjudged that. In his defense, it dipped on him quite late. Length ball around off, Kohli lifts it across the line over mid-wicket. Martin runs in from the deep, doesn't judge it well and it bursts through his fingers as he dives forward. Single taken. 14 off the over. |
| Trent Boult back on. |
| 18.1 : T Boult to V Kohli, Dot ball, a rare dot ball. Length ball outside off, it's punched hard but to extra cover. |
| 18.2 : T Boult to V Kohli, SIX! What. A. Hit. Shortish ball around off, Virat Kohli stands tall and brings out the pull shot. Hits it very well this time as it skies over the mid-wicket rope for a biggie. |
| 18.3 : T Boult to V Kohli, Low full toss fired across, Kohli gets bat on it and hits to the man at cover for a brisk run. |
| 18.4 : T Boult to R Sharma, Moving away from the batsman, outside off, Sharma looks to get bat on ball but fails. |
| 18.5 : T Boult to R Sharma, FOUR! Off cutter outside off, Sharma doesn't pick it up but still goes through with the big shot. Gets it off the edge and it goes over backward point for a boundary. |
| Rohit Sharma might have possibly edged one behind as New Zealand appeal hard. The umpires confer and take it upstairs. The soft signal is out. |
| 18.6 : T Boult to R Sharma, Not out! Rohit Sharma survives! Full ball speared across, Rohit looks to squeeze it square on the off side and there's a noise as the ball passes the bat. Big appeal from the keeper and the bowler as they think there's an edge. The umpire isn't sure, so he checks it upstairs. And replays show that the noise was of the bat hitting the ground. |
| 18.5 : Hold on! Now, Kane Williamson has decided to review the decision. Interesting... |
| 18.6 : T Boult to R Sharma, OUT! Rohit Sharma is dismissed! But after a lot of drama. Full ball speared across, Rohit looks to squeeze it square on the off side and there's a noise as the ball passes the bat. Big appeal from the keeper and the bowler as they think there's an edge. The umpire isn't sure, so he checks it upstairs. And replays show that the noise was of the bat hitting the ground. Seemed like Rohit would survive, but then New Zealand are adamant they have their man so they review. A |
| MS Dhoni is the next man in. |
| 19.1 : Tim Southee to V Kohli, SIX! Oh Virat Kohli, you little beauty! My word... What a hit! Short of a length on off and Kohli charges towards it like a raging bull. He goes across the line and heaves it high and handsome over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum. |
| 19.2 : Tim Southee to V Kohli, Lofts it over mid-wicket again but this time for just a single. |
| 19.3 : Tim Southee to MS Dhoni, SIX! Now MS Dhoni is into the action, wastes no time to get going. Typical of him, he stays back to this length ball and muscles it into the mid-wicket stands for a biggie. |
| 19.4 : Tim Southee to MS Dhoni, Short into the body, pulled away over square leg for a single. |
| 19.5 : Tim Southee to V Kohli, Arrowed full outside off, Kohli is out of his crease and he smacks it down to long off for two. |
| 19.6 : Tim Southee to V Kohli, That's a chance missed! Full ball outside off, Virat Kohli looks to finish the innings off with a bang. Doesn't get the desired distance on it and it's falling deep in the cover region. Two fielders there, one from deep cover and the other from wide long off, rush in towards the ball, there's total confusion and nobody ends up taking it. The batsmen take a single and with that, INDIA FINISH ON 202/3! |
| A powerful end to the innings from India. Their openers, each being given a life, set the tone for the game. Both got to their fifties and their 158-run stand laid it all for the batsmen to come. The ploy to send Hardik Pandya up the order might have failed, but then Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, especially the former, provided a late impetus to the Indian batting. 42 runs came in the last three over which saw the Men in Blue post a total past the 200-mark. |
| New Zealand have only themselves to blame. Admittedly, the dew did make an impact but some of those catches should have been taken. It cost them dearly as Dhawan and Rohit went firing away. Ish Sodhi pulled things back in the 16th over with two wickets, but it still wasn't enough as the Indian middle order putting the finishing touches in style. |
| Now, the target set in front of the Black Caps isn't an easy one by any means. But, as mentioned before, the dew will play a big part in the chase. A blazing start and they can find themselves in with a chance. India will have to be wary of that fact and try to keep things tight in the Powerplay. Join us in a short while for the second half of this game. |
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