India have taken a 1-0 lead in the five match T20 series against New Zealand. It was a high scoring encounter at Auckland .
Earlier Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to field first. The Kiwis posted a challenging total of 203/ 5 in their allotted 20 overs. The scorers for the Kiwis were – Martin Guptill (30) off 19 balls, Colin Munro ( 59) off 42 balls, Skipper Kane Williamson ( 51) off 26 balls and Ross Taylor (54) off 27 balls.
For India the bolwing figures were – Jasprit Bumrah 1/31 ( 4 overs), Shardul Thakur 1/ 44 ( 3 overs), Mohammed Shami was expensive 0/ 53 ( 4 overs), Yuzvendra Chahal 1/ 32 ( 4 overs), Shivam Dube 1/ 24 ( 3 overs), Ravindra Jadeja 1/ 18 ( 2 overs)
In reply India lost Rohit Sharma ( 7 ) early at the total of 16 . But K L Rahul and Skipper Virat Kohli with a 99 run stand kept India on the hunt . Rahul scored 56 off 27 balls with four fours and three sixes. Kohli too was brilliant with his 45 off 32 balls. There was a minor hiccup when both fell in quick succession. Shivam Dube followed soon for ( 13) at the total of 142.
But Shreyas Iyer with a wonderful unbeaten blitz ( 58 ) off 29 balls with five fours and three sixes and Manish Pandey unbeaten on 14 off 12 saw India home with six wickets to spare. Iyer and Pandey put on 62 off 34 balls to clinch a thriller. India reached 204 / 4 in 19 overs.
Iyer was rightly for his cameo named Man of the Match.
For the Kiwis, it was disappointment not able to defend a good target. The bowlers had a tough day . The figures said it . Tim Southee 0/48 (4 overs) , Mitchell Santner 1/ 50 (4 overs), Hamish Bennett 0/ 36 (4 overs), Blair Tickner 1/ 34 (3 overs), Ish Sodhi 2/ 36 ( 4 overs)
