"Bilateral kings"- Top 10 funny memes as Team India win T20I series against New Zealand

Hardik Pandya-led Team India emerged victorious in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand by a 1-0 margin on Tuesday, November 22. Rain washed out the first match of the series on Friday, November 18, while India won the second T20I on Sunday, November 20.

The final T20I in Napier ended in a tie via the Duck-worth Lewis (DLS) method after rain played a spoilsport in the second innings.

New Zealand batted first in the contest and put up a decent total of 160, courtesy of half-centuries from Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh picked up four wickets apiece for India.

The Men in Blue got off to a poor start as the top order collapsed like a pack of cards, leaving them reeling with 21/3 on the board in the third over. Openers Rishabh Pant (11) and Ishan Kishan (10) failed to utilize their opportunities by throwing away their starts yet again.

Suryakumar Yadav (13) also endured a rare failure, which left Hardik Pandya (30* off 18 balls) with the burden of carrying the inexperienced middle order in the chase. The Indian skipper did not wither under pressure as he played aggressively and kept the required rate under check.

Rain intervened in the proceedings when Team India were 75/4 after nine overs, which was also the par score according to the DLS method. Persistent showers ensured the resumption of action was impossible after that, which meant the contest ended in a tie.

Speaking at the post-match presentation after the third T20I, series-winning captain Hardik reflected on his side's performance and said:

"We would have liked to win this game by playing the full overs but it is how it is. We don't mind getting the trophy. At some point, I felt that offense is the best defense on this wicket. It had something for the fast bowlers and we know they have the pace and skill in their bowling attack.

He added:

"It was very important that we go ahead in the powerplay and get those 10-15 runs extra even though we lost wickets. It was all about seeing the ball and playing.

"A game like this could have given us an opportunity to test all the guys that were left to come. You don't get this kind of situation when your top 4 are out cheaply and you have to bat till the end."

Fans react after Team India clinches series win over New Zealand on Tuesday after the 3rd T20I ends in a tie

Fans on social media enjoyed the encounter between the two sides in Napier. They highlighted India's dominant performances in the bilateral series over the past few years and their shortcomings in multi-national tournaments. Many expressed their reactions through hilarious memes on social media.

Here is a collection of the best memes: