Nagpur: A sensational innings from Abhishek Sharma laid the foundation for India’s commanding 48-run victory over New Zealand in the opening T20 international of the five-match series on Wednesday, as the hosts made a strong start to their T20 World Cup preparations.
Asked to bat first, India posted a massive 238 for 7, riding on Abhishek’s breathtaking 84 off just 35 deliveries. The left-handed opener launched a brutal assault on the New Zealand bowling attack, smashing eight towering sixes and showcasing fearless intent from the very start.
India suffered early setbacks with the quick dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, but Abhishek ensured the momentum never dipped. He found solid support from captain Suryakumar Yadav, with the pair adding 99 runs for the third wicket. Suryakumar contributed 32 from 22 balls, gradually finding rhythm as he continues his search for form ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Although the Indian skipper showed signs of recovery, his stay ended when he was caught off the bowling of Mitchell Santner. Abhishek, however, continued his dominance and reached his seventh T20I half-century in just 22 balls before mistiming a shot off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.
Following Abhishek’s departure, India briefly lost momentum as wickets fell in quick succession. The run rate slowed, giving New Zealand a chance to pull things back. That window, however, was firmly shut by Rinku Singh, who produced a powerful unbeaten cameo of 44 off 20 balls. Rinku’s late burst, featuring three sixes and four boundaries, propelled India past the 230-run mark and left the visitors with a daunting chase.
In response, New Zealand began aggressively but struggled to maintain partnerships as Indian bowlers struck at regular intervals. Glenn Phillips emerged as the standout performer for the visitors, hammering a fighting 78 off 40 balls. He shared a promising 79-run stand with Mark Chapman, who chipped in with 39, briefly raising hopes of a comeback.
Those hopes faded when Axar Patel removed Phillips in the 14th over, triggering another collapse. Varun Chakravarthy played a crucial role by dismissing Chapman and Tim Robinson, while Shivam Dube added late drama by claiming two wickets in consecutive deliveries in the final over.
Despite some sloppy fielding moments from the hosts, India’s disciplined bowling restricted New Zealand to 190 for 7, sealing a comprehensive win and a 1-0 lead in the series.
The second T20I will be played on Friday in Raipur, where New Zealand will look to regroup and level the series.
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