IND vs NZ

So that'll be all from this series opener but India will look to bounce back and level the series on Sunday as the bandwagon heads to Lucknow for the 2nd T20I. Do join us for our coverage of the same while also keeping yourselves updated with all the other cricketing news and action from around the world here on Sportskeeda. For the moment though, this is the duo of Pradeep Somashekar and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us today - good night and have a great weekend!

It sure was a fine knock that from Daryl Mitchell. New Zealand were falling short of 160 but they ended up getting a lot more which proved to be massive in the end. Interesting thoughts from Mitchell Santner too who didn't expect the pitch to turn the way it did in the second half. Don't think most of us did now, eh? With the kind of dew there was in the first innings, we expected it to quicken up but then, this is what this sport brings - glorious uncertainties!

Daryl Mitchell is the Player of the Match for his stellar innings of 59* off 30 deliveries. Here's what he has to say: It's nice to contribute to a score that helped us win a game of cricket. The boys bowled brilliantly to defend that score. Nice to take this momentum into the rest of the series. The comments coming back from the guys who went in early on was that the spin was pretty difficult to play. I though Dev and Finn (Allen) batted really well. Nice to get a good score on the board and see that total being defended. (Thoughts ahead of the last over of the batting innings) It was just being really present, really clear and keeping it as simple as possible and trusting my skill. Not often does it come off in T20 cricket but I'm glad it did.

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand captain): It was a bit of a shock for everyone involved as to how much it spun in the second innings. It was a great game, pretty tight in the end. And it was nice to see the ball spin a bit more (grins). I don't think we were ever safe with 170 odd. It was great that Daryl hit a couple over the ropes. He batted extremely well as did Dev (Conway). But we knew we had to bowl extremely well. Good to get some wickets in the powerplay with which we struggled in the one-day series. (On the turn on offer) It was a shock to us as well. At the toss, we would have bowled. We know chasing is so good over here. Especially with the dew at the start it could have got worse. (On how he timed bowling himself today) That's always the challenge. The way the powerplay is set up these days you want to get runs at the start so it was nice to get some (wickets) upfront.

Hardik Pandya (India captain): No one even thought the wicket would play like that, New Zealand clearly played better cricket and they are the deserved winners. The ball was turning more with the new ball than the old one, caught by surprise by the bounce and turn, we pulled things back actually. We were in the game when me and Surya were batting and how Sundar batted in the end. On the hindsight, the wicket wasn't 170+, it was 25 runs more than par was. We're a young group, we make mistakes but we need to learn from it, that's how we're looking at it as well. (On Sundar's performance today) The way he batted, bowled, it was more of Sundar against New Zealand than India against New Zealand. Axar is there and Sundar is putting up a show, it's going to be good for Indian cricket in the days to come. 

Michael Bracewell: We were surprised with the turn, in the first innings too and we were fortunate to bowling second and the turn was still there. (About the first wicket he got) I was trying to get one to skid, couple of wickets early in the match and as a bowling unit, we capitalized on that start. Trying to discuss what sort of ball to bowl, Mitch is experienced, he's put me on the right path and it's great to have his experience here. (On the dew factor in the second innings) It got little bit moist in the end, not much as much as we were expecting, the towels were out in the end. It's massive to bounce back from the disappointing one-day series, it's quick turn around, we're looking forward to win the next one to seal the series.

Match summary: New Zealand beat India by 21 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.
Daryl Mitchell 59* (30) | Mitchell Santner 2/11 (4)
Washington Sundar 50 (28) & 2/22 (4) | Suryakumar Yadav 47 (34)

A lot of things went wrong in that chase for India. They just never got going and were always playing catch-up and on a track which assisted the spinners with the ball holding in the surface, 177 proved to be a far tougher proposition than it was. It seemed chaseable really before the second half began, even as New Zealand carried momentum with them into the start of it.

Ishan Kishan was squared up and castled by a jaffa from Michael Bracewell and it led to a couple more quick wickets as Rahul Tripathi nicked off. When Mitchell Santner had Shubman Gill hole out off a short ball that stopped in the track and then did the unthinkable by sending down a maiden to Suryakumar Yadav, it was a clear sign that this pitch wasn't easy.

But then, you don't keep SKY quiet for too long, do you? He picked and chose his moments, playing out Santner while targeting the rest and batted like a million dollars yet again. Hardik Pandya also put a couple away to the fence but the Indian skipper looked all at sea in certain patches. It was Suryakumar's wicket that proved to be the telling blow though as he just extended his arms into the hands of long on.

Hardik perished in agricultural manner and thereafter, it was a procession with Santner toying around with Deepak Hooda before having him stumped. Washington Sundar put up a fight, but he had way too much to do off his own bat. A wicket maiden off the 18th over that starved him off strike killed the last, remaining ray of hope for India as the Blackcaps successfully defended their total to take the series lead, even as Sundar raised his maiden T20I half-century.

He had a stupendous outing today across all facets of the game. But alas, India leave with more questions than answers after a lackadaisical run chase where they just never seemed to be in control. Dew threatened to play a massive role but the way the Blackcaps bowled - particularly Santner and Bracewell - it was rendered moot. Stick around as we hear from the two captains shortly...

A streaky boundary to wrap things up but the Kiwis won't complain. They have defended brilliantly today and when you pit the margin of defeat against the final over of India's bowling innings which cost them 27 runs, you can see how big an impact that had. It doesn't justify how they batted of course!

19.6 Lockie Ferguson to Umran Malik, EDGED AND FOUR! Doesn't matter as New Zealand go 1-0 up in this three match T20I series. Mitchell's onslaught in the final over proved to be decisive in the end, Arshdeep went for 27 in that over and New Zealand take the lead in the series here. Length delivery on the stumps, Malik swings across the line, takes the outside edge and flies over the keeper's head, down to third-man for a boundary.

Stand up and applaud a fighting effort from a prodigious talent! Across departments, Washington Sundar hasn't put a foot wrong today. One of the great all-round performances in this format in a losing cause.

19.5 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, OUT! STRAIGHT TO THIRD-MAN AND TAKEN! Short into Sundar, who leans back to ramp it but not getting the time right this time as it went straight down the throat of the third-man fielder and Sundar has to depart.
Washington Sundar c Jacob Duffy b Washington Sundar 50 (28b, 5x4, 3x6)

19.5 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, WIDE! Pace off but loses his radar, strays it way down the leg-side, Ferguson has to bowl that one again.

19.4 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, DROPPED! Sodhi drops a sitter at mid-off, not going to make any impact though. Sundar smacks the length delivery, went straight to Sodhi who dives forward but can't cling on.

19.3 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, length delivery on the fourth stump, Sundar carved that one way but can't beat the sweeper in the end and they don't take the run.

A maiden T20I half-century for Washington Sundar! What a fantastic knock this has been amidst the ruins. He has been superb across all facets of the game but alas, it's all going to end in vain.

19.2 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, SIX! BANG! FIFTY FOR SUNDAR! Lone warrior Sundar, keeps going for his shots and keeps getting better at it. Short into Sundar, was a slower one and he backed away and PUMMELS it all the way over long-on fence for a maximum.

19.1 Lockie Ferguson to Washington Sundar, OH! Too much pace for Sundar this, short into Sundar who gets into position to pull but top edged it to short fine-leg region as that falls safely, declines the single.