The Westpac Stadium in Wellington hosted the first T20I between New Zealand and India which proved to be a one-way street in favor of the home team. New Zealand was asked to bat first after Rohit Sharma won the toss, the only thing that went in India’s favor.
Tim Seifert and Colin Munro, who was playing his 50th T20I, put on 86 runs in 8 odd overs to give Indian bowlers nightmares with 66 runs in powerplay overs. Munro departed for 34, but Seifert continued to make his career-best 84 runs with 6 sixes and 7 fours. Kane Williamson (34), Ross Taylor (23) and Scoot Kuggeleijn (20*) took New Zealand to 214/6 in 20 overs.
The Indian bowlers had no answer to the aggressive approach taken by the Kiwi batsmen as only Chahal and Krunal Pandya gave runs less than 10 runs per over. Hardik Pandya gave away 51 runs for his two wickets, while all others picked a wicket each.
The Indian chase never got going, given than skipper Rohit went for 1. A small partnership developed between Dhawan (29) and Vijay Shankar (27), but that was it. Dhawan was looking aggressive and intent of making a fight out of the stiff chase, but a searing 150 kmph yorker from Lockie Ferguson shattered his stumps.
The Kiwi spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner then went on to stifle the Indian chase with regular wickets as Pant (4), Karthik (5) and Hardik (4) perished under pressure of the rising run-rate. By the time MS Dhoni (39) and Krunal Pandya (20) tried their hands at giving a fight to the chase, the asking rate was well beyond 21 runs-per-over.
Tim Southee picked 3/17, while Santner (2/24) and Sodhi (2/26) made sure New Zealand didn't let the pressure get lighter on the Indian batting. India was bundled out for 139 runs.
New Zealand handed India their worst-ever T20I defeat in terms of runs, winning by 80 runs and going 1-0 up in the series. They also kept their 100% win record in T20Is against India in New Zealand.
BRIEF SCORES:
NZ 219/6 (T SEIFERT 84; H PANDYA 2/51) defeated IND 139 (MS DHONI 39; T SOUTHEE 3/17) BY 80 runs
