INDIA WINS BY SIX WICKETS WITH 6 BALLS TO SPARE.
19 Overs, India 204/4: SIX! That's the win for India. Shreyas Iyer sends Southee over the line to wrap the match with an over to spare. What a brilliant chase this has been from India. Iyer, particularly, kept his calm and used proper cricketing shots to squeeze the life out of the Kiwis attack. Anything loose was smashed for boundaries and good balls were milked for runs showing the confidence this Indian team has.
18.2 Overs, India 196/4: SIX! FOUR! Absolute class from Iyer. He first lofts Southee over the long-off for a six. He forces Southee to hurl a fuller-length delivery at the stumps and flicks it for a boundary over backward square-leg. That's fifty for the Mumbai batsman.
18 Overs, India 185/4: Off the pads. Iyer does not get a bat to it but manages to steal a run before the keeper throws it to the bowler. India needs 18 off 12 balls.
17.3 Overs, India 183/4: FOUR! Loose, on the pads. Easy pickings for Iyer who helps it down the backward fine-leg boundary. He rocks back for the next ball and sends it over the long-on boundary. Bennett bangs it short off the next ball. No run. India needs 21 off 15 balls.
17 Overs, India 175/4: Pandey digs the ball out of the blockhole and then cuts it square off the last ball. The fielder does well to keep it to down to a single. India needs 30 off 18 balls.
16.2 Overs, India 172/4: SIX! Right out of the middle of the bat. Southee bangs it short and Iyer is on to it quickly as he uses the pace of the ball to send it over fine-leg.
15.5 Overs, India 164/4: SIX! Manish Pandey gets the timing right as he smashes Sodhi's short-pitched ball over the widish long-on boundary. India needs 39 off 24 balls.
Ish Sodhi to continue.
15 Overs, India 150/4: Hamish Bennett hurls down back-to-back knuckle balls to Iyer and Pandey who don't take risks. However, the pair runs seven in the over to keep the scoreboard moving. India needs 53 off the last 5 overs.
14 Overs, India 144/4: Sodhi finishes the over with a dot, the fourth of the over. Pressure building on the Indians. India needs 60 off 36 balls.
Manish Pandey is the next man in.
13.2 Overs, India 142/4: OUT! Dube gets down on his knee and launches a fuller-length ball from Sodhi on towards long-on. Tim Southee on the boundary runs to his left and takes a smart catch.
12.5 Overs, India 141/3: FOUR! Shivam Dube frees his arms as he first slices Santner for a four straight down the ground and then pulls a short ball square off the wicket for a boundary on the leg-side. India needs 62 off 42 balls.
Shivam Dube is the new batsman to join Shreyas Iyer in the middle.
11.1 Overs, India 121/3: OUT! Martin Guptill takes a stunner! Kohli (45) flicks Blair Bennett towards the deep mid-wicket where Guptill glides forward to cup the ball few inches above the ground. New Zealand right back in the game.
Shreyas Iyer is the new man in.
10 Overs, India 115/1: OUT! Tossed up, full on the off by Ish Sodhi and Rahul skies it to mid-off. Southee runs in from long-off and takes a low catch. Crucial blow to India's chase.
8.4 Overs, India 105/1: Fifty for KL Rahul! Tickner steps out of the crease and umpire signals a free-hit for India. KL Rahul stands and delivers! The ball is outside off and short, Rahul connects it sweetly to send it over long-on. He also brings up his fifty with a single off the next ball.
8.2 Overs, India 93/1: KOHLI DROPPED! Kohli chops a short ball from Tickner as the ball goes high in the air. Sodhi is on to the ball at third man, but only manages to fingers to it. This could prove costly for the host.
8 Overs, India 91/1: This time is Santner. The left-armer bowls full but Kohli has already picked his spot. Over the bowler's head and over the boundary. Rahul steps away from his leg-stump and smashes a six into the sight screen.
7 Overs, India 77/1: Ish Sodhi strays in line and gets punished. Kohli gets on back foot and creams it towards the widish long-on boundary.
6 Overs, India 65/1: Kohli rocks back and smacks Bennett for a boundary at the deep mid-wicket to ease Indian nerves. He flashes a smile at Rahul who wears an apologetic look for the mix-up.
5.1 Overs, India 59/1: OH A MIX-UP! Rahul dabs Bennett to the short-cover fielder asks for a single. Kohli has already crossed over and screams at his partner. The fielder misses the direct-hit as Rahul scampers towards the danger end. The throw from the deep is also not accurate and Rahul survives.
4.5 Overs, India 57/1: Six and a four! Outstanding shot from KL Rahul. A good-length ball from Southee on the middle, Rahul rolls his wrists around and sends it over the line with a simple flick. The next one is short and the opener is not in complete control of his pull shot. The ball however, lands outside the circle and runs away for the fine-leg boundary.
4.3 Overs, India 46/1: Southee bowls short, wide off the leg-stump after spotting Rahul moving across the stumps. The opener clears his front-leg away and dissects the off-side field and runs three.
4 Overs, India 39/1: Kohli shuffles across the leg-side and Tickner slings one on to his pads. The right-hander digs it out on the leg-side and runs two.
3.1 Overs, India 37/1: SIX! Blair Tickner bowls a slow wide half-volley and Kohli replies with a straight bat. The ball sails 82 metres and into the stands for a six.
2.3 Overs, India 28/1: FOUR! Hamish Bennett lands the ball in good length but Kohli gets under it and lofts it to the long-on boundary.
Hamish Bennett to bowl the next over.
1.4 Overs, India 16/1: OUT! Rahul gets a four on the off-side with a beautiful cover drive while Rohit hits Santner straight over for a six, however, he is not control of his sweep shot off the next ball and edges it to Ross Taylor at gully.
1 Over, India 4/0: Southee bowls a tight line and gives away four singles off the opening over.
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul walk in for the big chase. Tim Southee runs in with the new ball.
20 Overs, New Zealand 203/5: A single off the final ball from Mitchell Santner and India set a target of 204.
19.5 Overs, New Zealand 202/5: Taylor heaves towards the square-leg boundary and runs two. The 36-year old struggles to come back for the second but the throw from the deep is late.
19.3 Overs, New Zealand 199/5: Bumrah is back and sends it short to Taylor who top-edges it behind the wicket for another two to bring up his first T20I fifty in almost six years.
19.2 Overs, New Zealand 197/5: Similar ball, short and Taylor takes a similar route on the mid-wicket. Bumrah goes down on the pitch after twisting his ankle on the follow through.
19.1 Overs, New Zealand 195/5: Bumrah bumps it short as Taylor hits it in the no-man's land and takes two. The fielders throws it wide at the bowler's end and the batsmen run two more.
Bumrah to bowl the last over.
19 Overs, New Zealand 191/5: After being taken for cleaners in his previous over, Shami maintains a full and wide policy throughout the over and concedes 9 runs off the penultimate over.
18 Overs, New Zealand 182/5: OUT! Brilliant bowling from Bumrah. The pacer uses his slow ball to the best effect inviting a slog from Tim Seifert who skies it to Shreyas Iyer fielding at long-on.
17 Overs, New Zealand 178/4: OUT! Williamson reaches another fifty with two delightful drives off Chahal on either side of the wicket. However, the Kiwis skipper perishes off the next ball when he top-edges it to Kohli inside the circle after an attempted sweep.
16 Overs, New Zealand 165/3: 4,1,4,6,6,1! Taylor unleashes fire. Williamson hits Shami for a boundary on the leg-side, before he hit for three massive sixes off the final three balls by Taylor who moves to 31 off just 12 balls.
15 Overs, New Zealand 143/3: SIX! Jadeja manages to keep it to three singles in his first four but Taylor's quick thinking gets the Kiwis a move on. The right-hander first uses the backside of his bat to get a boundary off the fifth ball and then launches Jadeja into the top of the stands off the final ball.
13.3 Overs, New Zealand 129/3: SIX! Short and slow in the air, it's a treat for Williamson. The New Zealand skipper smokes it over the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Ross Taylor joins Williamson in the middle.
12.2 Overs, New Zealand 117/3: JADEJA STRIKES! Ravindra Jadeja bowls it full and on the pads as Grandhomme tries to flick it down short-fine and is straight to Shivam Dube who takes an easy catch.
Colin de Grandhomme is the next batsman.
11.5 Overs, New Zealand 116/2: OUT! Shardul Thakur gets his man. He is hit for two big sixers on the leg-side by Williamson. But gets the crucial wicket of Munro with a short ball after the left-hander tries to pull it towards the fine-leg boundary but finds Chahal outside thee circle.
10.1 Overs, New Zealand 95/1: Fifty for Munro! Chahal gets some turn and Munro edges it fine behind the wicket for a boundary to bring up his fifty.
10 Overs, New Zealand 91/1: SIX! Dube strikes Williamson's pads with a back-of-the-length delivery but there umpire feels it was missing the leg. The next ball is wide and Williamson clears the extra-cover boundary with a delightful lofted shot.
9.3 Overs, New Zealand 84/1: Was that Out? Dube mixes his pace well off the first ball. He rolls his fingers across the seam and appeals for a top edge off Colin Munro who goes after the slow bouncer. The umpire is unmoved. Kohli looks at Rahul looking for review, but finally decides not to take it.
9 Overs, New Zealand 84/1: Another tidy over from Chahal. He keeps Munro guessing with his flight and unpredictable length. Just four runs off the over.
Kane Williamson is the next batsman.
7.5 Overs, New Zealand 80/1: OUT! Martin Guptill pulls a short ball towards the deep mid-wicket boundary where Rohit Sharma rocks backwards to take the catch and then throws it back into the air before latching onto it again.
7.2 Overs, New Zealand 77/0: Munro's unorthodox shuffling across the stumps is causing all sorts of problems for the Indian pacers. Dube is hit down the ground by Munro off his first ball.
Fifth bowling change from Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube in the attack.
7 Overs, New Zealand 73/0: Chahal brings down the scoring a bit as he gives away just 4 runs off his first over.
Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack!
6 Overs, New Zealand 68/0: Another expensive over. Shami gets nudged for a four down the fine-leg boundary on the first boundary. He then bowls two wides and then is smacked over the long-on boundary for a huge six by Guptill.
5 Overs, New Zealand 52/0: Bumrah gets a knick off Munro's pads with an in-swinger as the Indian fielders go for a half-hearted appeal. The umpire says no. India needs to do something to contain the dangerous Munro who has raced off to 33 off 19 balls.
4.2 Overs, New Zealand 49/0: Misfield! Nothing's going right for Thakur. Guptill cuts Bumrah towards the third man boundary, where Thakur puts in a slide but fails to keep it in. Bumrah looks frustrated and bowls a big wide down the leg-side. He has a laugh at himself as walks back.
4 Overs, New Zealand 44/0: 2,2,4,6,0,4. Thakur's strays with his length and taken to the cleaners by Munro. He bowls a full toss on the left-hander's pads and gets a dot. He goes short on the final ball which gets an thick outside edge but sails out of K.L. Rahul's reach for a four.
3 Overs, New Zealand 26/0: FOUR! Shami mixes it up well in his opening over. He bowls one in the slot for Munro who pulls it to the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Mohammed to bowl the third over.
2 Overs, New Zealand 19/0: SIX! Thakur begins with a seaming delivery on the pads and Guptill guides it to the fine leg boundary. The pacer bowls three dots to Munro by pitching it on the off stump but gets whacked for a straight six off the last ball.
Up next, Shardul Thakur.
1 over, New Zealand 7/0: Munro is welcomed with a wide but then is forced to dig out a toe-crusher from Bumrah. The pacer ends the over with a dot by banging it short to Guptill.
0.2 overs, New Zealand 4/0 : Nice start to the innings by Bumrah, he pitches the ball full and angles it outside off as the ball misses the outside narrowly. Bumrah pitches a similar delivery on the second, but Guptill steps towards the leg and smacks it over long-off for a boundary.
Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma discuss the field setting as Martin Guptill and Colin Munro walk out to the middle. Jasprit Bumrah is the one with the new ball.
The players are out on the pitch for the national anthems....
TOSS: India wins toss and opts to bowl.
Teams:
India-New Zealand battles have always been intense, the Cricket World Cup 2019 semifinal being the latest one in the mix. The Kiwis are quiet on the field but very competitive. At home conditions, similar to that of Australia, they will be looking to start their ICC World T20 preparation with a triumph in the five-match T20I series against India.
Ahead of the first T20I in Auckland on Friday, here's a look at the numbers so far.
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