Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell strangled India with spin as New Zealand won their first Twenty20 by 21 runs on Friday.
Santner (2-11) and Bracewell (2-31) shared four wickets in eight overs to put the brakes on India’s chase.
New Zealand posted a lofty 176-6 thanks to half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell (59) and Devon Conway (52) and India was tied down to 155-9.
Also Read: NZ’s unique feat and other stats from 1st T20I against IND
It was the fourth time New Zealand has defended a sub-200 total in T20s on Indian soil, the most by any visiting side.
“There was a lot of turn and it continued right through the second innings,” Bracewell said. “We were able to get early wickets and capitalize on that start. It is massive to bounce back from the ODI series.” India swept the ODIs 3-0.
Check out some of the reactions to the first T20I below:
Really impressed with the way Santner led tonight. His use of bowlers was spot on. And also he did the impossible act of bowling a maiden over to SKY in T20 cricket ???????? Well played @BLACKCAPS ???????? Expect India to bounce back! #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/d5nbI9uoFu
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 27, 2023
Mitchell Santner and his control.
Santner and his ability to watch the feet of the batter.
Clever changes of pace and use of crease.
Classy.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) January 27, 2023
Since his T20i debut on 27 NOV 2020, Devon Conway needs to be in that conversation of best “all format batter”.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) January 27, 2023
Only if Arshdeep Singh wasn’t that expensive in last over and had managed to take a single in 18th over, Washington Sundar would have won us this match. #INDvsNZ
Well Played champ ???? pic.twitter.com/GeTn5R2Ipo
— Akshat (@AkshatOM10) January 27, 2023
Arshdeep Singh reminds me of those helpless medium pacers in the 90s clobbered by Jayasuriya & Kaluvitharna.
— Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) January 27, 2023
Put in to bat, Finn Allen gave New Zealand a quick start with 35 off 23 balls. He struck four fours and two sixes, putting on 43 off 26 balls with Conway.
Washington Sundar (2-22) struck twice to remove Allen and Mark Chapman, the latter for a duck via a stunning return catch.
Watch: Sundar’s one-handed stunner to dismiss Chapman
Conway, though, scored a half-century off 31 balls, including seven fours and a six to steer New Zealand to 100 in the 13th over.
Conway fell on 52 in the 18th over to Arshdeep Singh, but Mitchell pressed on.
His 26-ball half-century powered the total past 170. Mitchell hit three fours and five sixes as Singh gave away 27 runs in the final over.
With inputs from AP
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