New Zealand vs India 4th T20 - Super Over misery continues for the Black Caps
Another day, another super over and yet another loss for the Kiwis, they just can't seem wrap their heads around how to deal with that one final over. The super over misery for the Black Caps seems to be never-ending since the World Cup.
Final in the recent times. Even after performing consistently in all the departments, they have time and again lost strack at the death, contrary to what India did in the last two matches. The other day it was Mohammed Shami who pulled off an amazing over defending just 9 runs, today it was Shardul Thakur who took up the responsibility of defending 7 off the final over.
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KL Rahul’s 39, a quickfire 20 from Shardul Thakur and a gritty knock of 50 from Manish Pandey helped the visitor’s post a respectable target of 166 for the host’s. When Colin Munro (64) and Tim Seifert (57) were batting, it was quite obvious that New Zealand were going to win it easily, but the direct run out of Munro from the Indian skipper proved to be the turning point of the match. Ross Taylor with all the experience he has, ended up throwing his wicket in the final over of both the matches.
Tim Southee being the stand-in captain and the most experienced Kiwi bowler lost it in the super over.
The only difference between the two sides in this series has been the lack of intent by the New Zealand players, not a single player has risen to the occasion of finishing the job for the Kiwis. On the other hand, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were the champions of the first two matches, Sharma and Shami did it for India in the third T20 while Pandey and Thakur displayed their class in the fourth T20.
Kane Williamson is the only player to have stood up for New Zealand every time, before his efforts getting crumbled.
India would look to whitewash New Zealand in the final T20 of what has been an exhilarating series, New Zealand moreover would like to at least have a consolation win to their names.