Tag: New Zealand vs India

AHMEDABAD: Opener Shubman Gill smashed an unbeaten 126 to help India clinch the T20 international series against New Zealand with a crushing 168-run victory in the decider on Wednesday.

Gill recorded his maiden T20 century for India as he steered the team to 234-4 after they elected to bat first at the world’s biggest cricket ground in Ahmedabad.

Indian bowlers skittled out the Kiwis for a paltry 66 in 12.1 overs for a 2-1 series win. The hosts had whitewashed the Kiwis in three one-day matches.

The huge victory was India’s biggest ever in T20 internationals and the biggest margin by runs in a match played between two Test-playing nations.

India elected to bat first on a batting-friendly pitch and Gill continued his magnificent run of form — hitting 12 fours and seven sixes in his 63-ball innings.

He had also put the New Zealand bowling to the sword with a double hundred and a ton during the ODI series.

Gill put on 103 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Hardik Pandya, who made 30 and then took four wickets with his pace bowling, at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium.

Off-spinner Michael Bracewell struck early as he trapped Ishan Kishan lbw for one in the second over of the innings.

Gill, 23, hit back with a flurry of boundaries including three in one over off Blair Tickner. Rahul Tripathi, who made 44, joined the charge as the two put on 80 runs.

Tripathi smashed three sixes including one off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi only to hole out next ball in another attempt to clear the ropes.

Gill, who became only the fifth Indian batsman to record centuries across all three formats, found another attacking partner in Suryakumar Yadav who smashed 24 off 13 balls as the two kept up the onslaught.

Tickner cut short Suryakumar’s stay with Bracewell taking a sharp catch at mid-on.

But the unstoppable Gill changed gears and raised his ton off 54 balls with a boundary as he took off his helmet and let off a roar.

New Zealand made a horrendous start to their mammoth chase as they lost their top four for just seven runs inside three overs as Arshdeep Singh struck twice in the second over of the innings.

Suryakumar took two spectacular catches at first slip off Pandya’s pace bowling to send back Finn Allen, for three, and Glenn Phillips, for two.

Tearaway quick Umran Malik bowled Bracewell before Daryl Mitchell, who made 35, and skipper Mitchell Santner attempted to resist.

Arshdeep, Umran and Shivam Mavi took two wickets each.

India will now head into the hotly-anticipated four-Test series against Australia starting February 9 in Nagpur.

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LUCKNOW: The chief groundsman of the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow has been removed from his job after players and pundits complained of a shockingly slow and turning pitch for the second T20I between India and New Zealand.

The low-scoring match witnessed no sixes and remained equally hostile for batters on both sides while India chased the modest target of 100 with only one ball to spare. The wicket invited harsh criticism from all quarters with India captain Hardik Pandya calling it a “shocker of a pitch”.

The Indian media on Tuesday reported that the pitch curator, named Surinder was removed the next day of the match.

“The curator has been removed and replaced by Sanjeev Kumar Agarwal who is a very experienced curator,” reported an Indian news agency quoting a source in Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA).

“A lot of domestic cricket was already played on all the centre wickets ahead of the T20I and the curator should have left one or two strips for an international game. The surface was overused and due to the bad weather, there was not enough (time) to prepare a fresh wicket,” it added.

The pitches used in the T20I series so far left Indian skipper Pandy unhappy about their below-par quality.

“To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket,” he said after the second T20I.

“Both the games we have played on so far. I don’t mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but these two wickets are not made for T20. Somewhere down the line, the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches earlier.”

Currently, the series is level at 1-1 with the decider to be played in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

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RANCHI: Opener Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell hit quickfire fifties to set up a convincing 21-run victory for New Zealand in the first T20 international against India on Friday.

Left-hander Conway made 52 off 35 balls and Mitchell smashed an unbeaten 59 as the Kiwis posted 176-6 after being invited to bat first in Ranchi.

New Zealand, who suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the one-day internationals, restricted the hosts to 155-9 and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Skipper Mitchell Santner stood out with figures of 2-22 with his left-arm spin while fellow spinner Michael Bracewell and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson also took two wickets each.

The Black Caps started strongly after being invited to bat first, with Finn Allen striking four fours and two sixes in a brisk 35.

Spinner Washington Sundar cut short Allen’s stay as the batsman mistimed a hit to deep mid-wicket, and struck again in the over to get Mark Chapman caught and bowled for nought.

Conway took time before he changed gears and smashed tearaway quick Umran Malik for two fours and a six in the eighth over.

Conway kept up the charge with Glenn Phillips as the pair put on 60 before left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav broke through with the wicket of Phillips for 17.

Conway raised his fifty in 31 balls and found another attacking partner in Mitchell, who hit five sixes in his 30-ball blitz, as they added 36 for the fourth wicket.

Left-arm pace bowler Arshdeep Singh finally got Conway out in the 18th over, but was then hammered for three sixes and a four by Mitchell in a 27-run final over.

In reply, India lost their top three batsmen with just 15 on the board in 3.1 overs with off-spinner Bracewell striking first as he bowled the left-handed Ishan Kishan for four.

Two more wickets in the next two overs put India in trouble before Suryakumar Yadav (47) and Hardik Pandya (21) put the chase back on track in a partnership of 68.

Suryakumar, a T20 sensation for his all-round hitting, started with a flurry of boundaries but the pair played with a mix of caution and aggression.

Suryakumar got into the hitting mode, clubbing six fours and two sixes in his 47, before he mistimed a shot to long-on off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. Pandya fell in the next over to Bracewell as the wheels came off the chase.

Sundar survived three dropped catches to hit 50 off 28 balls but found little support from the other end.

The second match is on Sunday in Lucknow.

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RAIPUR: Indian bowlers wreaked havoc over the New Zealand batting lineup by dismissing the touring side for a paltry 108 before openers led their side to a series-winning victory over New Zealand in the second ODI on Saturday.

Put into bat first, the New Zealand batting lineup endured a ruthless attack from the Indian bowlers and bundled out for a mere 108 runs in the 35th over despite Glenn Phillips’ fighting 36.

The touring side had a dismal start to their innings as they lost half of their batters for just 15 runs inside 11 overs.

The touring side could not recover from the shaky start and kept losing wickets at regular intervals before eventually, getting out for just 108.

Phillips offered a fightback with his gritty 36 off 52, while Michael Bracewell (22) and Mitchell Santner (27) remained the other notable run-getters for New Zealand.

Mohammed Shami led the bowling charge for India; picking up three wickets for just 18 runs, while Washington Sundar and Hardik Pandya took two each.

Set to chase 109, India sealed a comfortable victory for the loss of just two wickets with 179 balls to spare.

Indian openers Sharma and Shubman Gill laid a solid foundation for the run chase with a 72-run partnership before the skipper perished briefly after amassing his brisk half-century.

Sharma scored 51 off 50 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries and two sixes.

India then lost another wicket in a short span as their in-form batter Virat Kohli fell victim to Santner after managing to score just 11.

His dismissal, however, did not bother India’s pursuit much as Gill and Ishan Kishan eased through the hosts to the victory in the 21st over.

Gill remained unbeaten on 40 off 53, while Kishan scored eight not out.

For New Zealand, only Henry Shipley and Santner could pick up a wicket.

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HYDERABAD: Shubman Gill scored a brilliant 208 as India held on to beat New Zealand by 12 runs in the first one-day international in Hyderabad on Wednesday despite a blistering century from Michael Bracewell.

India looked to be coasting to victory with New Zealand in deep trouble at 131-6 while chasing 350 after opener Gill made just the 10th double hundred in ODI history.

“Watching Gill bat is fantastic, clean striking and no aerial shots. He’s such a free-flowing batsman,” said India captain Rohit Sharma.

All-rounder Bracewell responded by making 140 off 78 balls before falling in the final over when he was pinned leg before wicket by Shardul Thakur.

“To be honest, the way Bracewell was batting, we knew it was going to be a challenge,” added Rohit.

Disciplined early spells by India fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj restricted New Zealand before Bracewell’s late fireworks gave them hope of a sensational win.

“Bracewell’s was an amazing innings. The situation of the game and then play an innings like that… to put us in that situation was outstanding,” said New Zealand skipper Tom Latham.

“Disappointing to not get across the line.”

Finn Allen struck a breezy 40 at the top of the order but New Zealand were facing a heavy defeat once Siraj removed Latham for the sixth wicket.

Bracewell was then joined by left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who hit 57 of 45 balls as part of an impressive 162-run partnership before falling to Siraj.

Bracewell smacked 12 fours and 10 sixes but finished on the losing side as Siraj was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4-46.

Earlier, the 23-year-old Gill helped India post a formidable total of 349-8 after an innings spanning 149 balls and featuring 19 fours and nine sixes.

Rohit was the first man out for 34 and Virat Kohli soon followed for just eight after he was bowled by Santner.

Ishan Kishan, who made 210 last month against Bangladesh, was removed cheaply by Lockie Ferguson but Gill received timely support from Suryakumar Yadav (31) and Hardik Pandya (28).

He hit three straight sixes off Ferguson to bring up his double century before holing out to deep mid-wicket in the final over.

“I wasn’t thinking about 200 before I hit those sixes in the (49th) over. That’s when I thought I could get a double,” said Gill.

“I won’t call it a ‘wow’ feeling but it feels nice when the ball goes off the bat how you want it. There’s certainly a feeling of satisfaction.

“It has sunk in pretty well, this is certainly one of those things, like what dreams are made of.”

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HYDERABAD: Indian opener Shubhman Gill hit a career-best 208 to take his team to 349 for 8 in the first one-day international against New Zealand in Hyderabad on Wednesday. 

Gill anchored the innings capably before he fell in the last over, after hitting 19 fours and nine sixes in a 149-ball marathon of an innings, achieving his first double ton.

India’s other opener — and skipper — Rohit Sharma, who won the toss and decided to bat first, fell early after scoring 34 off 38 balls.

The team’s in-form star batsman Virat Kohli fell cheaply to Mitchell Santner’s left-arm spin after scoring eight runs.

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan scored only five runs before he fell to Lockie Ferguson’s pace in a mini middle-order collapse for the hosts.

Two cameos by Suryakumar Yadav, a 26-ball 31, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, 28 of 38 balls, stitched two crucial partnerships with Gill for India in the first game of the three-match ODI series.

Santner, who took one wicket for 56 runs in his 10 overs, and Daryl Mitchell, with two wickets for 30 runs in his five overs, were the standout bowlers for New Zealand.

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AUCKLAND: Tom Latham was left thanking his lucky stars after smashing a majestic century to steer New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over India in Friday’s opening one-day international in Auckland.

Latham hammered 19 fours and five sixes in an unbeaten innings of 145 runs off 104 balls. It was his seventh ODI century and his highest score in the format.

“It was one of those days when everything comes off. I don’t really know where that came from — the stars aligned, things fall into place,” Latham said of his man-of-the-match innings.

The Black Caps were set 307 to win at Eden Park before Latham and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson put on a winning partnership of 221 runs.

“We bowled short of length and that’s where Latham attacked us,” said India captain Shikhar Dhawan.

“We couldn’t make a breakthrough when the partnership was on. Latham took the game away for us and that’s when the momentum shifted.”

Williamson finished on 94 not out as New Zealand went one up in the ODI series, having lost the Twenty20 series to India.

“It was an incredible knock by Tommy (Latham) — he was absolutely on fire,” said Williamson.

“We were talking in the middle about just getting through the overs, but then he just flicked the switch.

“It was one of the more special ODI knocks I have seen and it was nice to be at the other end to watch it.”

After being put into bat by New Zealand, India put up 306 and then did not allow New Zealand’s openers to settle as the chase began.

Finn Allen and then Devon Conway edged shots to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

India gave ODI debuts to pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, who celebrated with the wickets of Conway and Daryl Mitchell in quick succession as New Zealand laboured to 88-3.

However, it quickly turned into a miserable evening for India’s bowlers.

Williamson dug in with a superb array of shots, including a 79-metre six.

He was well supported by Latham, who grew in confidence as the pair broke the Indian bowling momentum and took New Zealand to the finish line.

Earlier, India’s captain Dhawan put on a superb opening partnership of 124 with Shubman Gill.

Dhawan smashed 13 fours as he made 72 runs off 77 balls before being caught off the bowling of Tim Southee, who claimed his 200th ODI wicket for New Zealand.

India’s run rate slowed as Pant and then Suryakumar Yadav were dismissed, leaving the visitors on 160-4.

Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings with 80 runs, including four sixes.

Hamilton will host the second ODI on Sunday.

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NAPIER: India sealed a Twenty-20 series win over hosts New Zealand after Tuesday’s rain-hit third match finished in a tie.

The Black Caps were bowled out for 160 in their innings. India then laboured to 75 for four in their nine overs before the rain started.

Under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, the match was a rare tie in Twenty-20 cricket.

India took the series having won the second match on Sunday at Mount Maunganui, where morning rain threatened to delay the start before Suryakumar Yadav smashed 111 off 51 balls in a 65-run win.

The first match was washed out by heavy rain in Wellington on Friday.

“We would have liked to have won by playing the full overs, but it’s how it is. We don’t mind getting the trophy and the win,” said India captain Hardik Pandya.

Fast-bowler Mohammed Siraj was the man-of-the-match after restricting New Zealand to just 17 runs for four wickets, supported by Arshdeep Singh’s 4-37.

“All three matches were affected by the weather, but we are happy to have won the series,” said Siraj.

After setting India 161 to win, the Black Caps’ bowlers struck early with India’s openers Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant dismissed to leave the visitors on 21-2.

With Kane Williamson sitting out due to a medical appointment, New Zealand’s stand-in skipper Tim Southee took the wickets of Pant and then Shreyas Iyer in successive balls.

India were in trouble at 23 for three before Suryakumar Yadav went for just 13.

Pandya steadied the ship with a solid 30 off 18 balls to steer his side to 75 for four from nine overs when rain stopped play.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, New Zealand made a strong start with Glenn Phillips smashing 54 off 33 balls. Devon Conway hit 59, including five fours and two towering sixes.

The Black Caps were cruising at 146 for three when Conway was caught by Kishan in the deep before New Zealand collapsed to lose their last seven wickets for just 14 runs.

The teams meet again in Auckland on Friday, when Eden Park hosts the first of three one-day internationals.

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Top-ranked T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav’s blistering century propelled India to seal an emphatic 65-run victory over New Zealand in the second T20I of the three-match series, here on Sunday.

India, batting first, on the invitation of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, posted a mammoth 191/6 in their quota of 20 overs, thanks to a quickfire century from Yadav.

Earlier, Indian openers – Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan – failed to provide their side with a solid start as New Zealand managed to get their first breakthrough in the sixth over as the former perished after a struggling 13-ball six.

India were 36/1 when Yadav came out to bat and courtesy of his magnificent striking turned things around for his side.

The right-handed batter stitched an anchoring 33-run partnership with Kishan, who fell after scoring 36 off 31 deliveries as India lost their second wicket inside 10 overs at a combined score of 69.

Yadav then joined hands with Shreyas Iyer and could add 39 runs for the third wicket before Iyer sustained a bizarre dismissal off Lockie Ferguson and walked out after scoring 13 off nine.

Following Iyer’s dismissal, Yadav charged on the Kiwi bowlers and set the scoreboard on fire with his fierce onslaught and added 82-run partnership with skipper Hardik Pandya.

Yadav was the core aggressor of India’s highest partnership of the match as Pandya could score a run-a-ball 13 before Tim Southee outdid him to take the first of his hat-trick.

The veteran pacer Southee then bagged two more wickets – Deepak Hooda (0) and Washington Sundar (0) – in consecutive deliveries to complete his second T20I hat-trick.

T20 hat-trick number two for Tim Southee! 😍 #NZvIND #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/p17wtD2228

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 20, 2022

Yadav, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with his astounding knock of 111 runs off just 51 deliveries, laced with 11 boundaries and five sixes.

Southee led the bowling attack for New Zealand with 3/34 in his four overs, while Ferguson bagged two wickets.

Set to chase 192, New Zealand’s batting lineup crumbled on a paltry 126 and thus handed a resounding victory 65-run victory to India.

The hosts had a poor start to their run chase as their hard-hitting opener Finn Allen fell for a two-ball duck.

Following the early slump, skipper Williamson and Devon Conway attempted to anchor the run chase with a gritty 56-run partnership for the second wicket.

The pair, however, conceded too many deliveries in the proceedings and thus left with no choice but to counter-attack the Indian bowlers.

Consequently, Conway looked to target Sundar and slogged a fuller delivery straight to fine leg to bring an end to his cautious 25-run knock.

Following his departure, New Zealand began to lose wickets at an alarming rate and were soon bundled out for a mere 126 in reply to India’s 191/6 despite Williamson’s half-century.

The right-handed batter top-scored for New Zealand with 61, laced with four boundaries and two sixes but was a touch too slow in the procedure.

The rest of the Kiwi batters, however, failed to make any impact with the bat as seven of them could not even make it to the double figures.

Hooda was the pick of the bowlers for India with 4/10, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Moahammed Siraj bagged two wickets each. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sundar, on the other hand, made one scalp each.

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