On the eve of the match every cricket pundit predicted Indian spinners will be tough for New Zealand on Nagpur wicket. Williamson decision to play three spinners was strange one but in the end it proves to be the master stroke for them. New Zealand spinners combined to take India’s 9 wickets in 11 overs and giving away only 44 runs.

Mitchell Santner

Batting first New Zealand got off to strange start Guptill hit Ashwin for six and got out very next ball. Fastest T20 fifty scorers Collin Munro coming to bat No. 3 switch hit Ashwin for six over cover region. Ashish Nehra soon got better of Munro in second over. Williamson soon followed and left New Zealand struggling for 3-35 in overs. Corey Anderson in the mean while held on end up and scored 34 before being bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.

Raina was once brilliant in the field by sending Ross Taylor back to the pavilions by showing superb piece of skills on his own bowling. New Zealand kept loosing wicket at regular intervals. Luke Ronchi with his last over hits of Ashish Nehra helped New Zealand post 126/7 in 20 overs. Ronchi finished with 11 balls 21.
Coming out to bat India were looking favourites to chase this total down. New Zealand spinners had written their own script.

Dhawan got out in very first over of the match sweeping Nathan McCullum. New Zealand young left arm spinner Mitchell Santner got two in his very first over. Rohit Sharma looking to counter attack got stumped and Raina soon followed giving simple catch to mid-wicket. India was 12 for 3 in third over.

Kohli and Yuvraj saviour for India in other low scoring encounter against Pakistan were not able to repeat same performance this time. Yuvraj Singh was caught and bowled by McCullum giving him his second wicket. Ish Sodhi got the most important wicket of Virat Kohli in his very first ball. Jadeja and Pandaya didn’t do much with bat. Pandya scored 1 whereas Jadeja got out for 0 playing only three balls. Dhoni the lone man standing finally got out to a brilliant catch by McCullum in 18 over trying to hit six over long off. New Zealand spinner bowled with great control with everyone picking wickets.  McCullum (2/15), Satner (4/11), Ish Sodhi (3/18).

India only managed 79 runs in 18.1 overs giving New Zealand their first win by 49 runs.

Brief Score: New Zealand 126/7 (Corey Anderson 34, Luke Ronchi 21*, Raina 1/16, Bumrah 1/15, ) beat India 79 all out (Dhoni 30, Kohli 23, Santner 4/11, Sodhi 3/18) by 49 runs

Tags: ICC World T20, India, Mitchell Santner, Nagpur, New Zealand, T20 World Cup, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, World Cup T20