What happened the last time India played a T20I in Mount Maunganui
Following a washed-out first game in Wellington, New Zealand and India are set to lock horns for the second T20I of their three-match series. The second game is scheduled to be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, November 20.
In the absence of experienced players, the Men in Blue will want to try out a few younger players under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. The hosts, on the other hand, will line up as they did in the World Cup, barring one or two changes in their bowling department.
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Situated in Mount Maunganui, the pitch at Bay Oval is well-suited for batting with the average score in the last three matches being 194. The pitch can sometimes get slower as the game progresses. But, all in all, it is good for batting, and the bowlers need to depend on their variations to stop the run flow.
In nine of the 12 games that have taken place at this stadium, the team batting first has triumphed, while the team chasing has only come out on top once.
India won their last T20I in Mount Maunganui against New Zealand in 2020
In 2020, India toured New Zealand for a five-match T20I series. After clinching the series and winning the first four matches, the Men in Blue faced New Zealand for the fifth T20I in Mount Maunganui.
The encounter offered India a golden chance to record a historic clean-sweep, which they actually did after winning at the Bay Oval by seven runs.
After opting to bat first, the visitors lost a wicket early on in the form of Sanju Samson. KL Rahul (45) and Rohit Sharma (60) then added 88 runs for the second wicket, providing vital momentum to the Indian innings.
The in-form duo dominated the Black Caps’ bowling attack and put on 50 off just 35 balls. Rahul hit four fours and two sixes in his 33-ball stay.
He fell in the 12th over against the run of play while Rohit reached his 25th T20I half-century off 35 balls. He looked to accelerate, but then injured himself in the 17th over and retired.
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The loss of both Rahul and Sharma impacted the Indian innings, and they lost all momentum on a wicket that deteriorated with time.
Shreyas Iyer smacked 33 off 31 balls, including a four and two sixes, but couldn’t push the score past the 170-mark.
Chasing 164, New Zealand got off to a horrid start and were quickly reduced to 17 for three in the fourth over. Ross Taylor and Tim Seifert came together at that juncture, putting on 99 runs for the fourth wicket, providing the vision of an improbable win.
Seifert reached his half-century off 29 balls, including five fours and three sixes, while Taylor got to his 50 in 42. He hit five fours and two sixes.
They took 34 runs off Shivam Dube in the 10th over, after which KL Rahul, who led in the absence of injured Rohit, had to take corrective measures. He brought back his frontline pacers and they both etched out wickets.
Navdeep Saini (2/23) dismissed Seifert and then Jasprit Bumrah bowled Daryl Mitchell (2) with a searing yorker. Ish Sodhi smacked 16 off 10 balls to provide some fireworks at the end, but it was not enough.
Restricting New Zealand to 156/9 in their 20 overs, India eventually won the game by a margin of seven runs.
Jasprit Bumrah, who finished his four overs with a brilliant spell of 3/12, was adjudged the Player of the Match for his bowling exploits.