India registers commanding win over New Zealand in rain-curtailed 3rd T20 match; bagged series by 2-1

Thiruvananthapuram, November 8: India on Tuesday registered a comprehensive victory over New Zealand by six runs in the third and final Twenty20 series in the rain-curtailed 8-over-a-side match and bagged the series by 2-1. A disciplined bowling display from the Indians bowlers helped India earn their first bilateral Twenty20 series win against New Zealand.

 

New Zealand’s skipper Kane Williamson winning the toss invited India to bat first after the rain got steady. The match reduced to 8 over a side India posted 67-5 at the Greenfield International Stadium. Tim Southee wrecked the Indian top order in his first over, dismissing openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma off successive deliveries with Santner taking both the catches.

Skipper Virat Kohli made 13 off six balls before Boult took a catch in the deep off Ish Sodhi (2-23) to send back the India captain. Manish Pandey top-scored for India with 17 before falling to a good piece of fielding by Santner. In reply, New Zealand lost their early wickets and managed to score only 61 runs after losing 6 wickets in their stipulated 8 over.

New Zealand too lost openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cheaply in their early innings and never really got going. Indian bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals, leaving New Zealand needing 19 runs off the last over from Hardik Pandya but managing only 12. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets after giving up only 9 runs de Grandhomme top-scored for New Zealand with 17 not out.

Also, Bumrah was declared the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series for his excellent bowling display. India also clinched three matches one-day series by 2-1 against New Zealand.