Team India completed a 5-0 series whitewash against New Zealand by defeating them by seven runs in the fifth and final T20I at the Bay Oval in Mount Manganui. Despite Virat Kohli rested and Rohit Sharma out of the field with an injury, the Men in Blue performed brilliantly under the leadership of KL Rahul to defend 163. New Zealand were 116 for 3 in the 13th over at one stage before India’s bowlers turned the game in India’s favor to restrict the hosts to 156 for 9.
Chasing 164, New Zealand had the worsts of the starts as they lost three wickets for just 17 runs. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Martin Guptill for 3 before Washington Sundar accounted for Colin Munro. Tom Bruce was dismissed owing to a brilliant effort from KL Rahul.
But then, Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor steadied the ship for the hosts as they helped the team to go past the 50-run mark in the eighth over. At that stage, it looked like the game is set for a close finish before Taylor and Seifert blasted Shivam Dube for 34 runs in the tenth over to put New Zealand on top.
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As a result of that big over, New Zealand required just 66 runs in the last 10 overs with 7 wickets in hand. But India soon clawed their way back in the game thanks to some impressive bowling from their pacers. In the 13th over, Navdeep Saini broke the stand by dismissing Seifert for 50 and conceded just 3.
In the following over, Bumrah dismissed Daryl Mitchell while conceding just three runs before Washington Sundar’s 15th over when conceded three in the 15th over. Things then went from bad to worse for New Zealand as Shardul Thakur picked up two wickets in the 17th over to reduce them to 132 to 7. On the first ball of the 18th over, Saini got the wicket of Taylor for 51 to all but end New Zealand’s hopes.
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With 21 needed from the final over, Ish Sodhi raised New Zealand’s hopes by hitting two sixes off Thakur but the hosts eventually ended up on 156.
Earlier, India reached a total of 163/3 in their quota of 20 overs with the help of Rohit’s fifty. With Virat rested for the last game, Rohit Sharma led the side. Sanju Samson once again failed to deliver and was out for just two before Rahul and Rohit took charge. The two added 94 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for the good total before Rahul departed for 45.
Rohit and Shreyas Iyer then joined hands in the middle and mixed caution with aggression to take the team towards a good total. But in the seventeenth over, India suffered a huge blow when Rohit had to retire hurt after scoring 60. In the final three overs, Iyer and Shivam Dube managed to score only 23. Iyer remained unbeaten on 30 off 29 balls while Dube scored 6 from 5 balls.
Brief Scores:
India – 163/3 in 20 overs (R Sharma: 60, Kl Rahul: 45; S Kuggeleijn: 2/25) defeated New Zealand – 156/9 in 20 overs (T Seifert: 53, J Bumrah: 3/12, N Saini: 2/23) by 7 runs
Here is how Twitter reacted to India’s series win:
Team India 🇮🇳 😍👌🙌🏽
Well done to everyone @BCCI— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) February 2, 2020
Unbelievable stuff !!! Great performance team india 🇮🇳 5 , 0 away is just incredible ☝🏼 congratulations boys party 🥳 to banti hai 💃🏼
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) February 2, 2020
Bugger 🤦♂️ thought the Sodhi Stream was going to get it done! 😢
— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) February 2, 2020
So 2 fours for a super over how good! #NZvIND
— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) February 2, 2020
Can’t help thinking about another #Superover , but my throat says ‘nope pls just finish it now already ‘ 😆 #NZvIND #SundayThoughts
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) February 2, 2020
Spirit of cricket 👏🏼 🏏, lovely to see the camaraderie, real wealth is friends you make through sport #NZvIND #BadriBytes pic.twitter.com/5DcblwXA1x
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) February 2, 2020
While I’m all for giving opportunities to younger players, I’m convinced that Ashwin would do a better job as an Off-Spinner in T20i than Sundar. The number at which Sundar bats, he hardly contributes. And isn’t a gun fielder anyway. #Musings #NZvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 2, 2020
You’ve got to love India 🤣❤️ pic.twitter.com/dCBtvGLtrs
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) February 2, 2020
New Zealand have now lost 23 matches at home in T20Is – the joint most alongside Sri Lanka. #INDvNZ
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) February 2, 2020