India continued their dominance in the shortest format and validated their preparations for the T20 World Cup title defence at home with a 48-run win over New Zealand in the first match of a five-match T20I series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday. Chasing a mammoth 239 against the Men in Blue, the Kiwis got off to a poor start, losing two wickets within the first nine deliveries with just a solitary run on the board. When the other opener, Tim Robinson, fell for 21 in the seventh over, the game looked all but over for the visitors. Then came a spirited rearguard action from Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman. Phillips, who had stabilised the innings with a 51-run partnership with Robinson for the third wicket, changed gears and added 79 runs with Chapman for the fourth wicket. Although the asking rate continued to climb, New Zealand stayed in the hunt until the 15th over. However, the wickets of Phillips and then Chapman meant only formalities remained for both sides. Daryl Mitchell, the hero of the ODI series, and New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner added a few late runs, but it was not enough to change the outcome as the visitors managed 190/7 in 20 overs. Earlier, Abhishek Sharma sent the New Zealand bowlers on a leather hunt with a scintillating 35-ball 84 as India put up an imposing 238 for 7. World’s top-ranked T20I batter showed no mercy while making the Black Cap fielders look like mere bystanders with eight towering sixes and five fours. Abhishek’s carefree hitting also helped his skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 22 balls) get some runs although he was far from his best. But the young opener’s attack at all costs gave his skipper a chance to play himself in during a 99-run stand off 47 balls for the third wicket. Towards the end, Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls) got to play an innings of substance after a long time with India ending their 20 overs in fantastic fashion. (With inputs from PTI)
IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking 84 & Rinku Singh’s blitz help India beat New Zealand by 48 runs in opener
