New Zealand handed India their worst T20I defeat, winning the first match of the three-T20I series by 80 runs at Wellington. The visitors will have to punch well above their weight to keep the series alive.
Pitch report
It is going to be another run fest at Eden Park, Auckland. The average first and second innings scores read 172 and 149 respectively. The highest score chased at the venue is 245 in 18.5 overs by Australia against New Zealand.
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The Blackcaps boast of a balanced team
New Zealand did not feel injured Martin Guptill’s absence in the first T20I. Tim Seifert went all guns blazing and smashed his maiden international fifty, eventually scoring 84 off 43 and bagging Player of the Match award. Along with Colin Munro, he laced up a partnership of 82 runs in 8.2 overs.
Kane Williamson did not have to work hard for runs. With the platform already set, he dealt in ones and twos at first, and when he got his eye in, he exploited India’s ordinary bowling and walloped three sixes in the pursuit of his 34-run knock. Ross Taylor added more fuel to the fire and hit 23 off 14 to set India a target of 219 runs.
Tim Southee was the pick of the bowlers, scalping 3 for 17. However, it was Mitchell Santner and Ish Southee’s twin strikes in an over that muscled India out of the contest. Lockie Ferguson and Daryl Mitchell shared 3 wickets between them.
There’s no reason for New Zealand to change their winning combination.
Probable XI for New Zealand: Tom Seifert (wk), Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson
Selection headache for India
India left out Kedar Jadhav at the expense of all-rounder Vijay Shankar. Shankar did what was asked of him with the bat, scoring 27 off 18 at No. 3. However, with runs coming thick and fast, India did not let him bowl. On a pitch that saw India Women throttling New Zealand Women with spin on the same morning, the Indian men’s team decided to bench a wicket-taking part-timer in Jadhav and chinaman bowler in Kuldeep Yadav. In order to make amends, India will have to rethink about their strategy.
Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, and Hardik Pandya scored in single digits. While Shikhar Dhawan was outfoxed by Ferguson’s searing yorker, Dhoni ran out of partners to attain the massive total.
Three of India’s five bowlers conceded over 11 RPO. Krunal Pandya, if not the best, was the effective of all, taking 2 for 51.
India may fall back to their stratagem of attacking with spinners for the second match.
Probable XI for India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Vijay Shankar/Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed/Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy cricket team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
What is your combination?
My XI: Tim Seifert (c & wk), Colin Munro, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Shikhar Dhawan, Ross Taylor, Mitchell Santner, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar