NZ vs IND 2020: Rohit Sharma helps India seal first-ever T20I series victory in New Zealand in emphatic fashion
India secured their first-ever T20I series triumph in New Zealand in enthralling fashion, as Rohit Sharma’s decisive six on the last ball of the Super Over crushed Kiwi hearts.
Kane Williamson won the toss at Hamilton and decided to bowl first and the Kiwis restricted India to 179 runs in their 20 overs. Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli were top scorers for the Men in Blue, scoring 65 and 38 runs respectively, whilst Hamish Bennett, who after being annihilated by Sharma early on in the innings, redeemed himself brilliantly by picking up three wickets, including Sharma’s scalp.
New Zealand began the chase confidently with Martin Guptill and Colin Munro putting on a 47-run stand for the opening partnership.
The star of their chase though was Williamson, who exhibited a batting masterclass under pressure and dispatched every Indian bowler all around the park. He led from the front at all times en-route his sensational 95-run knock and at one point, it looked as though India were down and out of the encounter.
However, Williamson couldn’t hold his nerve in the final stages of the game and was unable to take his team over the finish line. In what proved to be a stirring final over, he succumbed to Mohammed Shami when the Kiwis needed two runs off four balls, nicking one behind to KL Rahul.
Shami struck again on the last ball of the game when New Zealand needed one run to win, as Ross Taylor edged a full delivery on to his stumps which resulted in the encounter ending in a tie, and a Super Over beckoned.
Guptill and Williamson took to the crease in the Super Over for New Zealand and picked Jasprit Bumrah apart, notching up 17 runs in six balls.
Sharma and Rahul were the two batsmen who came to the middle for India, whilst Tim Southee assumed bowling responsibilities for the Kiwis. Rahul was the first to score a boundary and take some pressure off before Sharma took matters in his own hands and struck two decisive sixes to take India over the line in dramatic fashion and seal the series.
With the series in the bag now, Kohli can give a few of the fringe players an opportunity to show what they’ve got in the remaining two T20Is.