Abhishek Sharma scored 84 off 35 balls as India beat New Zealand by 48 runs in the opener of a five-match T20 series.
Sharma, the world’s number one T20 batter, hit eight sixes and five fours as India notched up 238-7 in 20 overs. It was the third highest T20 score against New Zealand.
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav scored 32 off 22 balls, while Rinku Singh provided a late flourish with 44 not out off 20 balls.
Singh hit three sixes and four fours as India reached only the second-ever 200-plus total in T20s at the VCA Stadium — a first since 2009.
New Zealand fell short despite Glenn Phillips’ 78 off 40 balls. Mark Chapman also scored 39 off 24 balls as the Black Caps finished with 190-7 in 20 overs.
The series is preparation by both teams for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka starting Feb. 7. New Zealand recently won its first ODI bilateral series in India.
Raipur will host the second T20 on Saturday.
Put into bat, India lost Sanju Samson (10) and Ishan Kishan (8).
Sharma powered his way to 50 off 22 balls and put on 99 off 47 balls with Yadav. India crossed 100 in the ninth over, and the skipper was out caught in the 11th over as Mitchell Santner (1-37) got the breakthrough.
Ish Sodhi struck in the next over too — removing Sharma — and India seemed to lose its way at 185-6 in 15.4 overs.
Hardik Pandya scored 25 off 16 balls, while Shivam Dube managed only 9 runs. Axar Patel was out for only 5.
Singh held one end together and used the time-penalty to good effect in the end to propel India to an improbable target.
Pacers Kyle Jamieson (2-54) and Jacob Duffy (2-27) picked up a brace each.
In reply, New Zealand started poorly. Devon Conway was caught behind for a two-ball duck. Rachin Ravindra fell for 1.
Opener Tim Robinson scored 21 runs and put on 51 off 30 balls with Phillips, before Varun Chakravarthy (2-37) dismissed the former in the seventh over.
From 52-3, Phillips and Chapman added 79 off 42 balls for the fourth wicket. It set up New Zealand’s chase.
Both batters survived owing to India’s lapses in the field, and Phillips powered his way to 50 off 29 balls.
The breakthrough finally came in the 14th over — Phillips was out caught off Axar Patel.
Thereafter, the Black Caps didn’t have enough time left in the game despite sufficient firepower.
Daryl Mitchell scored 28 off 18 balls, while Santner was unbeaten on 20 off 13 balls, but the target proved to be too tall.
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