Opening Statement: India crush Kiwis by 48 runs to go 1-up

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Jan 21

THE lean frame which Abhishek Sharma presents does not reveal the actual power he possesses. The left-handed opener can clear any distance and his power-packed batting was on display on Wednesday night when the 25-year-old cracked 84 from 35 deliveries to help India post a total which New Zealand could not achieve here at VCA’s Jamtha Stadium. The target of 239 was too steep for the Black Caps as they could muster 190-7 in 20 overs.

India showed a perfect blueprint of their attacking batting style which will be on display in next two months going into the home T20 World Cup as they went on to record a 48-run 

win to lead the five-match series 1-0.

New Zealand knew the chase wouldn’t be easy with India having world class bowlers in Arshdeep Singh (1-31), Hardik Pandya (1-20), Varun Chakravarthy (2-37), and Shivam Dube (2-28). Buried under a mountain of 238 runs, they succumbed. They perished as India avenged the decade-old defeat at the same venue with a commanding victory.

A packed explosive batting line-up attacked New Zealand bowlers with disdain hitting 14 sixes and 21 boundaries to make mockery of the visiting bowling line-up. Along with captain Suryakumar Yadav, who became the fourth player to play 100 T20Is for India, Sharma added 99 runs for the third wicket after India had lost Sanju Samson (10) and Ishan Kishan (8) by the third over. That partnership laid the foundation for a big score. With a late flourish from Rinku Singh, who hit an unbeaten 44 from 20 balls, India showed who’s the boss in the shortest format of the game.

Sharma was brutal on all New Zealand bowlers. After playing a couple of dot deliveries, he made his intentions clear with a straight six off the tall Jacob Duffy to set the ball rolling. From then on, his powerful shots were on display with Yadav being the spectator at the other end. Yadav, going through a lean patch, made sure he played second fiddle to his partner. He hit some of his trademark shots and did find gaps to pick up boundaries. Once, the captain stepped out and placed the ball into the gap to collect a boundary towards the long-on fence. Prior to that, he went on his knees to slog it over the square leg boundary for a beautiful four.

Meanwhile, Sharma was unstoppable. His six off Mitchell Santner in the 11th over sailed into the stands with the fielder becoming a spectator. There were shades of Yuvraj Singh in his batting. He bent on his knees a bit but kept his body straight as he sent the ball over the ropes for another six. His entertaining innings came to an end in the 12th over when he holed up a skier off Ish Sodhi to Kyle Jamieson. Surya made 32, Pandya important 25 but it was the late cameo from Rinku Singh, a 44 from 20 deliveries (4x4, 3x6) which kept the run rate high. Rinku took 21 from the last over bowled by Darly Mitchell which had two sixes and as many fours to put India in total control.

New Zealand’s chase was stuttering. They lost two quick wickets inside two overs with Arshdeep and Pandya striking in their respective first overs. Glenn Phillips (78; 40b, 4x4, 6x6) and Tim Robinson (21; 15b, 2x4, 1x6) tried to steady the ship with 51 runs from 31 deliveries for the third wicket but Chakravarthy gave India another breakthrough getting the latter’s scalp in the 7th over. Phillips and Mark Chapman (39; 24b, 4x4, 2x6) were involved in a crucial 79 runs stand for the fourth wicket.

Phillips tried to dominate. He hit Axar for a four and a six but the bowler had the last laugh as he got him caught by Dube at long-on boundary as New Zealand slumped to 131-4 and then 143 for five in the 15th over and then ended their innings at 190-7 in 20 overs.