Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:00 AM
Spinners lead New Zealand to T20 win in India
RANCHI, India (AP) — Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell strangled India with spin as New Zealand won their first Twenty20 by 21 runs yesterday.
Santner (2-11) and Bracewell (2-31) shared four wickets in eight overs to put the brakes on India’s chase.
New Zealand posted a lofty 176-6 thanks to half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell (59) and Devon Conway (52) and India was tied down to 155-9.
It was the fourth time New Zealand has defended a sub-200 total in T20s on Indian soil, the most by any visiting side.
“There was a lot of turn and it continued right through the second innings,” Bracewell said. “We were able to get early wickets and capitalize on that start. It is massive to bounce back from the ODI series.” India swept the ODIs 3-0.
New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell, center, celebrate the wicket of India’s Ishan Kishan with his teammates during the first Twenty20 cricket match between between India and New Zealand in Ranchi, India, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Put in to bat, Finn Allen gave New Zealand a quick start with 35 off 23 balls. He struck four fours and two sixes, putting on 43 off 26 balls with Conway.
Washington Sundar (2-22) struck twice to remove Allen and Mark Chapman, the latter for a duck via a stunning return catch.
Conway, though, scored a half-century off 31 balls, including seven fours and a six to steer New Zealand to 100 in the 13th over.
Conway fell on 52 in the 18th over to Arshdeep Singh, but Mitchell pressed on.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell plays a shot during the first Twenty20 cricket match between between India and New Zealand in Ranchi, India, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
His 26-ball half-century powered the total past 170. Mitchell hit three fours and five sixes as Singh gave away 27 runs in the final over.
In reply, India got off to a poor start due to the Kiwi spinners squeezing the scoreboard.
Bracewell bowled Ishan Kishan (4) and Santner got rid of the in-form Shubman Gill (7). Rahul Tripathi was caught behind for a duck and India was down to 15-3 in the fourth over.
Suryakumar Yadav scored 47 off 34 balls and added 68 runs for the fourth wicket with Hardik Pandya, 21.
India’s Ishan Kishan is bowled out by New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell during the first Twenty20 cricket match between between India and New Zealand in Ranchi, India, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
But the duo were undone when the spinners returned.
Yadav holed out off Ish Sodi, and Pandya fell to Bracewell. Santner had Deepak Hooda stumped on 10 and the India innings was in tatters at 111-6 in the 16th over.
Sundar’s 50 included five fours and three sixes but his maiden T20 half-century off 25 balls could only reduce New Zealand’s winning margin.
The second of three T20s is on Sunday in Lucknow.
New Zealand 176 for 6 (Mitchell 59*, Conway 52, Washington 2-22) beat India 155 for 9 (Washington 50, Suryakumar 47, Santner 2-11) by 21 runs.
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