New Zealand beat India by 4 runs in 3rd T20I to win series 2-1

Speed Post News Network

Patna : New Zealand beat India by 4 runs in a see-saw battle in the 3rd T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand, to clinch the three-match series 2-1 on February 10, 2019. Chasing a target of 213, India could score 208/6 in 20 overs suffering a narrow defeat. New Zealand opener Colin Munro was named Player of the Match for scoring 72 in 40 balls with 5 fours and 5 sixes. India had won the toss but opted to bowl. Munro’s opening partner Tim Seifert was named Player of the Series.

India were required to score 16 runs in the 20th overs bowled by fast bowler Tim Southee but could score only 11 including a last ball six by Dinesh Karthik, who remained unbeaten on 33 in 16 balls hitting 4 sixes. Karthik was involved in an unbroken partnership of 63 runs in 28 balls with all-rounder Krunal Pandya for the 7th wicket making a match of it. Krunal Pandya remained unbeaten on 26 in 13 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes.

Captain Rohit Sharma scored 38 in 32 balls with 3 fours while all-rounder Vijay Shankar scored 43 in 28 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. Rishabh Pant scored 28 in 12 balls with 1 and 3 sixes while all-rounder Hardik Pandya scored 21 in 11 balls with 1 four and 2 sixes. Opener Shikhar Dhawan fell to spinner Mitchell Santner for 5 while wicketkeeper M S Dhoni fell to Daryl Mitchell for 2. The middle-order batsmen got the right start but failed to stay at the crease long enough to attain the target. It was nevertheless, a photo-finish.

Batting first, New Zealand scored 212/4 in 20 overs. Openers Tim Seifert and Colin Munro scored 43 and 72 respectively adding 80 for the first wicket. Seifert scored 43 in 25 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes. Captain Kane Williamson fell to fast bowler K Khaleel Ahmad for 27 in 21 balls with 3 fours while Colin de Grandhomme fell to Bhuvaneshwar Kumar for 30 in 16 balls with 3 fours and a six. Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 19 in 11 balls with 3 fours while Ross Taylor remained not out on 14 in 7 balls with 1 four and 1 six. Kuldeep Yadav took the wickets of Munro and Seifert. New Zealand batsmen hit 10 sixes while the Indian batsmen hit 13 sixes.

Captain Rohit Sharma said New Zealand deserved to win though India was right in the game till the end.