IND v NZ 2023: New Zealand defeats India by 21 runs in 1st T20I; Santner, Mitchell and Conway star for Kiwis

For India, Washington Sundar picked 2/22 and made 50.

The first match of the three-T20I series between India and New Zealand was played at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on January 27, 2023, and saw the visitors taking a 1-0 lead. New Zealand was captained by Mitchell Santner.

India captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to field first. India picked Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav as their frontline spinners, while Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Shivam Mavi were the pacers.

New Zealand posted 176/6 in 20 overs thanks to Devon Conway’s 52 and Finn Allen’s quick 35. Though India hit back with Washington Sundar taking two wickets in an over, Daryl Mitchell found a way to keep the scoring rate decent with Conway as his partner.

IND v NZ 2023: WATCH- MS Dhoni waves to Ranchi crowd as he attends 1st T20I with wife Sakshi

However, things unraveled in the 20^th over as Arshdeep was hit for 3 sixes and one four as he went for 27 runs, helping Mitchell end on 59* with 5 sixes and 3 fours.

In reply, India lost wickets at regular intervals with Kishan (4), Tripathi (0), and Gill (7) falling for 15 runs on the board. Then Suryakumar Yadav (47 in 34 balls) and Hardik Pandya (21) added 68 runs for the 4^th wicket.

IND v NZ 2023: WATCH- Washington Sundar’s excellent one-handed return catch sends Mark Chapman packing for 0

But their wickets proved to be the final nail in India’s chase and despite a maiden T20I fifty by Washington Sundar, which came in 28 balls, India could only manage 155/9 in 20 overs and lost the first T20I by 21 runs to go 0-1 down in the three-match series.

Mitchell Santner led from the front taking 2/11 in 4 overs, while Michael Bracewell and Lockie Ferguson also took two wickets each. Daryl Mitchell was named the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 59.

The next T20I will be played on Sunday, January 29 in Lucknow.

BRIEF SCORES:

NZ 176/6 (D MITCHELL 59*, D CONWAY 52; W SUNDAR 2/22) defeated IND 155/9 (W SUNDAR 50, S YADAV 47; M SANTNER 2/11) by 21 runs.

New Zealand lead the three-match T20I series 1-0.