Match tied (India won the super over)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Rohit Sharma
Batter
Bowler
Well, India were not in the game in the final over. But they somehow dragged it to the Super Over and stole it in the end. It was a proper midnight robbery at Seddon Park in Hamilton. In the end, India didn't get the better of New Zealand but the pressure did. That's it then, It was a privilege to bring this blockbuster encounter to you. This is Varun Dixit signing off in company of Sriram, Pradeep, Abhinand and Shashikant. Good bye!
Stats round-up, courtesy Deepu Narayanan
- First time India have won a T20I series in NZ
Tim Southee in Super Overs (T20I)
6 v Aus Christchurch 2010 (Won)
13 v SL Pallekele 2012 (Lost)
19 v WI Pallekele 2012 (Lost)
17 v Eng Auckland 2019 (Lost)
20 v Ind Hamilton 2020 (Lost
Bumrah in Super Overs
4 runs v GL Rajkot 2017
8 runs v SRH Mumbai WS 2019
17 runs v NZ Hamilton 2020
India defending totals < 200 (since Jan 2019)
Lost
Lost
Won
Lost
Lost
Won
Lost
Tie (last)
Virat Kohli: I thought we were gone at one stage. I told our coach that they probably deserved to finish the game off with the way Kane batted and the way he led from the front. We got a wicket at a crucial stage. Shami again, showed his experience and put a couple of balls outside the off-stump. On the last ball, we had a discussion and we came to a conclusion that we had to hit the stumps because otherwise there is a single anyway and we are gonna lose the game. Shami went for it, got the wicket and the game turned on its head. In the super over, New Zealand again put pressure on us. But Rohit was outstanding today, in the first half and in the super over. We knew, if he gets one hit, the bowler will be under pressure because he is such a clean striker of the cricket ball. Overall a top day for us and a beautiful game to be a part of. When Shami bowled those two dot balls, I thought we could probably go to the super over, if we get a wicket. In the super over, the discussion was that New Zealand will be feeling the pressure as they let the game slip away. Kane came out and played a couple of brilliant shots against Bumrah who is one of the best death-over bowlers in World Cricket. It was just a see-saw game. We will try to win 5-0. There are a couple of guys who are sitting out like Sundar and Saini, they deserve to get a game. The idea is to win the remaining two games.
Kane Williamson: Super overs haven't been too successful for us so we needed to be a little bit better to win it in regular time. A great game of cricket, India again showed their experience in crunch situations. It is a really important experience for us to take from and move on. We bowled well after they got off to a superb start. There was something in it for the bowlers but both sides maximised shorter side of the boundary towards the scoreboard and made a very good game of cricket. Very disappointing after coming off from an effort like that. It was nice to spend some time in the middle and build some partnerships because starting on this deck wasn't easy. It was disappointing not to cross the finishing line. It is a game of small margins. It was a much better performance from us. Eden Park was not bad, we spoke about getting 15-20 more and that's a couple of good decisions away.
Rohit Sharma (MoM) - Never done that before (batting in Super Over). I didn't know what to expect, whether to go from the first ball or just take a single, try and put pressure on the last three or four balls of the over. I just wanted to stay still and was waiting for the bowler to make a mistake (on the last two sixes). The pitch was good and I was trying to stay still, see what I could do. Good performance with the bat, little disappointed at having thrown my wicket away though, should have carried on for a while. Wanted to bat normally, I hadn't got runs in the first two games, wanted to do well today. We knew we would win the series today if we win the match - in important games, the important players need to step up and get counted.
Virat Kohli marches onto the field and so does the Indian team. They are pumped, Indians in the crowd are pumped. It's been a stunning match. And can you believe it, New Zealand have lost another super-over. Another heartbreak for them. They had it under control in the final over when they required 2 off 4 balls. But they crumbled then and ended up making only 1 run in the last four balls. In the super over, KW was superb again. A six and a four from him enabled them to post India a target of 18. One thought, it's gonna be too much for India. One surely thought that when India required 10 off the last two balls. But Rohit Sharma under pressure was sensational. He smashed back to back sixes to notch up a memorable victory for India. And they won their first T20I series in New Zealand in the most extraordinary fashion.
Ball 6: Southee to Rohit, 6 runs, Rohit, you freakinnn genius. He's done it. India have clinched the Super Over and create history. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Southee's yorker ain't forthcoming. It's full and in the arc, Rohit stays still and hammers it over long-off. Let me catch my breath, first. Nerve shredding tension, limitless euphoria. Crushing disappointment for the Kiwis. What. A. Game. What. A. Finish. IND 20 for 0 and the series is in India's kitty
Ball 5: Southee to Rohit, 6 runs. Wow! Nailed it. Southee misses the yorker and Rohit makes him pay heavily. Clears his front leg and murders it into the night sky into the deep square leg grass banks. 14 runs | 5 balls
Ball 4: Southee to Rahul, 1 run, yorker from Southee on middle and leg. Rahul backs away and jams it to long-on. IND 8 for 0
Ball 3: Southee to Rahul, 4 runs, brilliant adjustment from Rahul. Expected Southee to bowl the yorker outside off, so moved across and took it on the full. Swept it behind square on the leg-side and collects four. IND 7 for 0
Ball 2: Southee to Rohit, 1 run, top stuff from Southee. Very full just outside off, Rohit can only dig it into the leg-side. Just a single. 3 runs | 2 balls
Ball 1: Southee to Rohit, 2 runs, drama. A run-out chance missed at the striker's end. Rohit drags it away towards mid-wicket, a mix-up ensues as both batsmen are stranded in the middle. The keeper messes it up and allows Rohit to get back in. Phew! IND: 2 for 0
New Zealand's players are already out in the middle. Waiting for the Indian batsmen. Who'll be the two batters? The waiting game begins. I can see Rohit padded up, Rahul walks in. So, confirmed. It's going to be Rahul and Rohit to open for India. The hosts form a huddle now. Williamson having an animated chat. Lots of buzz in the crowd and loud cheers resonate as the two openers enter the arena. Tim Southee has the ball and he's been tasked to do the job for New Zealand. Here we go then, fasten your seatbelts folks.
Harsha Bhogle: Bumrah is the best death bowler. But even the best have off-days.
Right, India need 17 runs to tie and force another super over or 18 to claim a straightforward win and clinch the series. It looks like Tim Southee will bowl for the hosts. Who will be the three Indian batsmen? Logic says it should be Rohit, Rahul and Kohli - but will India go for someone else?
Ball 6: Bumrah to Guptill, 4 runs, New Zealand finish on a high. Low full toss from Bumrah as he fails to nail the yorker. Guptill gets under it and smacks it wide of long-on. New Zealand have scored 17. FYI, in case, the Super Over ends in a Tie as well, then they will play another Super Over
Ball 5: Bumrah to Williamson, 1 bye, bangs it short. Too pacy for the batsman, who swipes without any profit. They will sneak in a bye though. NZ 13 for 0