India’s top order orchestrated a spectacular takedown of 225 for the loss of six wickets in the first T20I against New Zealand at Christchurch, but not without a late wobble.
Sanju Samson (67 off 33 balls) and Abhishek Sharma (29 off 12 balls) tore into the bowling in the Powerplay before Shreyas Iyer (42 off 28 balls) steadied the chase and Naman Dhir (42 off 15 balls) delivered the decisive blows as India won with two balls to spare.
New Zealand had every reason to believe they had set India an exacting challenge. Glenn Phillips struck an unbeaten 82 from 40 balls, Finn Allen hit 45 from 24 balls and Bevon Jacobs contributed 31 from 16 as the hosts equalled the highest T20I total against India.
Yet on a night when the boundaries seemed inviting and the bowlers struggled to find their lengths, even 225 proved insufficient.
India’s response was as spectacular as New Zealand’s assault, at least initially. Samson and Abhishek plundered 93 runs in the Powerplay, leaving the visitors seemingly poised to complete the chase with time to spare. The hosts’ spinners subsequently dragged the contest back into balance, but Iyer and Dhir ensured that India’s early fireworks were not wasted.
New Zealand started with unmistakable intent. Tim Seifert and Allen helped them race to 65 without loss in the powerplay, exploiting loose deliveries and finding boundaries on both sides of the wicket. Allen combined brute force with inventive strokeplay, putting India’s seamers under immediate pressure.
Mayank Yadav eventually removed Seifert, caught behind for 24, but the breakthrough offered little relief as Allen continued his assault until Axar Patel induced a mistimed lofted shot to long-off.
Phillips, initially measured after arriving at the crease, soon took charge. He used his reach and power to punish anything short or overpitched, while Daryl Mitchell contributed 28 from 19 balls in a third-wicket partnership worth 42. Arshdeep Singh removed Mitchell, caught behind, but Phillips found another willing ally in Jacobs.
Jacobs struck three sixes, helping New Zealand turn a strong platform into a formidable total. India’s fielding offered further assistance: Abhishek dropped Mitchell on 16 at long-on, while several misfields allowed the batters to maintain their scoring rate.
Jacobs’s dismissal in the 18th over was almost as remarkable as the innings itself. Phillips jammed a yorker into his feet and, as the ball ricocheted away, Arshdeep kicked it on to the stumps to complete the run-out. The interruption was brief though as Phillips continued to attack, collecting late boundaries off Nitish Kumar Reddy and Bhuvneshwar Kumar before finishing with a switch-hit through cover.
India started the chase with familiar conviction through Samson and Abhishek. Samson, beaten by Matt Henry’s movement in the opening over, answered with a crisp pull for four and a straight drive that raced towards the boundary. Adam Milne and Lockie Ferguson then found themselves unable to contain him. Samson punished anything too full or too straight, while Ferguson’s second over cost 22 runs, including a pair of wides.
Abhishek provided the explosive counterpoint, launching Henry over cover for six before taking on Milne with towering pulls. The fourth over yielded 26 runs as New Zealand’s attack lost its discipline and India’s openers capitalised on a succession of loose deliveries. Samson reached his half-century from 23 balls, combining eight fours and four sixes in an innings that was as assured as it was destructive.
Abhishek made 29 and the duo put on 93 within the Powerplay. New Zealand, however, got their breakthrough when Michael Bracewell removed Abhishek, who sliced an attempted lofted drive to Adam Milne at short third. Samson continued to threaten a century before Mitchell Santner bowled him for 67, an attempted cut producing an under-edge on to the stumps.
The double breakthrough threatened to transform the contest. Bracewell dismissed Tilak Varma for six from 11 balls, and Santner had Ishan Kishan caught at long-on for one. India had collapsed from 93 without loss to 122 for four, surrendering much of the advantage created by their openers.
Axar Patel briefly restored the momentum, striking a six and two fours in a 45-run stand with Iyer that came from only 24 balls. But Bracewell and Santner had demonstrated how quickly the complexion of a seemingly comfortable chase could change.
Axar was eventually caught by Devon Conway at midwicket after being cramped for room. Iyer, meanwhile, received a potentially decisive reprieve when Finn Allen failed to hold a difficult sliding catch after he swatted Ferguson in front of square. With five overs remaining, India required 55 runs, and Iyer had the opportunity to make New Zealand pay.
He did enough to keep the chase under control before Santner finally caught him at extra cover. By then, however, the equation had become manageable, and Dhir seized the moment with an astonishing burst of hitting. His unbeaten 42 from just 15 balls dismantled the remaining resistance and carried India across the line for a four-wicket win.
