1st T20 highlights: Iyer's quickfire 58 helps India beat Kiwis by 6 wickets
Iyer built on K L Rahul's (56 off 27 balls) blazing start and Virat Kohli's useful 45 off 32 balls as India made short work of a 204-run target, knocking it off with an over to spare
 "India cricket team")
India's Rohit Sharma celebrates with teammates after taking a catch to dismiss New Zealand's Martin Guptill during the Twenty/20 cricket international between India and New Zealand in Auckland. Photo: AP | PTI
The immensely talented Shreyas Iyer enhanced his reputation of a finisher with a scintillating 29-ball-58 as India cricket team crushed New Zealand by six wickets in a high-scoring first T20 International at Eden Park, Auckland on Friday. Iyer built on K L Rahul's (56 off 27 balls) blazing start and Virat Kohli's useful 45 off 32 balls as India made short work of a 204-run target, knocking it off with an over to spare.
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Credit should be given to Indian bowlers for restricting New Zealand cricket team towards the end considering the dimensions of the Eden Park. Earlier, Colin Munro and Kane Williamson had smashed quickfire half-centuries as New Zealand scored 203-5. In pursuit of 204, India lost Rohit Sharma (7) early in the second over as he played one too many shots in a bid to go after spinner Mitchell Santner (1-50).
Rahul and Kohli then took charge of the innings with an 80-run partnership coming off only 47 balls. The duo launched a good array of strokes with seven fours and four sixes between them as New Zealand struggled to contain the runs. India crossed 100 in the ninth over thanks to their whirlwind partnership, albeit both had chances. Rahul survived a mix-up as New Zealand failed to hit the stumps twice, and then Ish Sodhi dropped a sitter off Kohli.
India vs New Zealand 1st T20 full scorecard
Continuing his fine form, Rahul notched up his half-century off 23 balls while Kohli fell short of his landmark by just five runs. Together, they provided the base for India's middle order to finish the chase.
The Black Caps roared back into contention with a double blow. First, Rahul was out caught off Sodhi in the 10th over and then seven balls later, Martin Guptill pulled off a screamer at deep mid wicket to send back Kohli.
India lost their set batsmen for six runs and their ploy to send Shivam Dube (13) up the order only had limited success. Dube and Iyer added 21 runs to provide some acceleration, before the all-rounder was Sodhi's second dismissal of the night.
Iyer then took charge of proceedings as he smacked five fours and three sixes to propel India to victory. He added 50 off 29 balls with Manish Pandey, who hit 14 not out off 12 balls with a six.
It was an immaculate display by the young batsman who showed the benefits of reaping experience batting in the middle order and perhaps answering India's questions regarding the number four situation.
This was after Munro, Williamson and Ross Taylor (54 not out off 27 balls) made the Indian bowlers suffer. Jasprit Bumrah (1-31) put in a good shift with clever change of pace and control.
Also Yuzvendra Chahal (1/32 in 4 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/18 in 2 overs) kept a check on the run-flow during the back-end.
Munro scored 59 off 42 balls, including six fours and two sixes, while Williamson hit four fours and four sixes in his 26-ball 51-run innings as the Black Caps' made good use of the peculiar Eden Park shape to pile on the runs.
New Zealand quickly got off the blocks with openers Munro and Martin Guptill (30 off 19 balls) putting on 68-0 in the power play. It was the highest power play score for New Zealand against India in T20Is (previous best 66-0 in 2019).
Shardul Thakur (1-44) and Mohammed Shami (0-53) proved to be expensive in their opening spells. India were forced to use as many six bowlers in the first eight overs.
Dube (1-24) got the breakthrough with Rohit Sharma catching smartly to dismiss Guptill. It brought Williamson to the crease and the onslaught continued as he put on 36 off 24 balls with Munro.
The latter reached his half-century off 36 balls before holing out off Thakur. India quickly got a second wicket in the space of four balls with Ravindra Jadeja (1-18) dismissing Colin de Grandhomme (0).
New Zealand, at 117-3 in the 13th over, were placed awkwardly but Williamson and Taylor put on 61 off 28 balls to completely decimate the Indian bowling in the second half of their innings.
Taylor smashed three fours and three sixes, taking 22 runs off Shami in the 16th over, as he raced to a 25-ball half-century. It was his first T20I half-century in six years.
Williamson too completed his half-century off 25 balls. Their 50-run partnership had come off just 24 balls before Williamson was dismissed off Chahal (1-32). Taylor then applied the finishing touches as New Zealand breached 200 in the final over.
Worryingly for India, Bumrah rolled over his left ankle in the 20th over during follow-through and was down in pain. But he recovered sufficiently to deliver the last four deliveries.
Over 19; Iyer hits fifty and wins the match for India
Over 18; India need 18 runs in 12 balls
Hamish Bennett [3.0-0-25-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: A single for Shreyas Iyer
Over 17; India need 29 runs in 18 balls
Tim Southee [2.0-0-20-0] is back into the attack
Over 16; India need 39 runs in 24 balls
Over 15; India need 53 runs in 30 balls
Hamish Bennett [2.0-0-18-0] is back into the attack
Over 14; India need 60 runs in 36 balls
Ish Sodhi [2.0-0-20-1] is back into the attack
Manish Pandey, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Over 13; India need 62 runs in 42 balls
Over 12; Virat Kohli departs
Blair Tickner [2.0-0-26-0] is back into the attack
Shivam Dube, left handed bat, comes to the crease
Over 11; India need 83 runs in 54 balls
Santner comes into the attack
Ball 4: A single for Kohli
Shreyas Iyer, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Over 10; Rahul departs
Ish Sodhi [1.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack
Ball 6: Rahul tries to go big, hits from the bottom of bat and Southee takes the catch. GONE. Rahul c Southee b Ish Sodhi 56(27) [4s-4 6s-3]
Ball 2: A single for Rahul
Ball 1: A single for Kohli
Over 9; K L Rahul hits fifty
Ball 4: FREE HIT, K L Rahul hits over long-on for SIX and completes his FIFTY.
Ball 4: NO BALL, Kohli hits down the ground for a single.
Over 8; CRR: 11.38 REQ: 9.42
Mitchell Santner [1.0-0-17-1] is back into the attack
Over 7; CRR: 11 REQ: 9.77
Ish Sodhi, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack
Ball 5: Kohli stays on backfoot and hits towards cow corner region for FOUR
Ball 4: Rahul hits towards long-on for a single.
Over 6; CRR: 10.83 REQ: 9.93
Hamish Bennett [1.0-0-10-0] is back into the attack
Over 5; CRR: 11.4 REQ: 9.8
Tim Southee comes back into the attack
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First Published: Jan 24 2020 | 9:47 AM IST
