4.6 overs (6 Runs) SIX! BANG! A Rohit Sharma special now! Length ball, angling in from middle. Rohit stays back and whips it way, way over deep square leg for a biggie.
4.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Up and over! Short of a length, outside off. Rohit Sharma hangs back and cuts it over James Neesham at backward point to collect a boundary.
4.4 overs (0 Run) Swing and a miss! Length ball, outside off, shaping away late. Rohit Sharma stays back to cut but the ball zips past his outside edge.
4.3 overs (0 Run) Length ball, angling in from middle. Rohit Sharma prods and defends it to cover.
4.2 overs (1 Run) Length ball, on off. KL Rahul pushes it to mid off for a quick run.
4.1 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Width on offer and KL Rahul pounces on it! Back of a length, outside off. KL Rahul stays back and cuts it past the diving point fielder for a boundary.
Adam Milne to bowl now.
3.6 overs (0 Run) Sliding down the leg side, Sharma misses his tuck and gets hit on the pads.
3.5 overs (0 Run) Tosses it up, on leg. Rohit Sharma reaches out and pushes the ball to the bowler.
3.4 overs (0 Run) Shortish again, on leg. Rohit Sharma defends it to mid-wicket.
3.3 overs (1 Run) Short and on leg, KL Rahul tucks it to short fine leg for one.
3.2 overs (1 Run) On the pads, glanced to square leg for a single.
3.1 overs (0 Run) Drifting it on the pads, Rohit Sharma defends it out.
Mitchell Santner to roll his fingers now.
2.6 overs (1 Run) DROPPED! Rohit Sharma would have had his heart in his mouth. Boult knows how much Rohit loves to pull and bowls a perfect short ball, on middle. Rohit Sharma couldn't resist himself playing a pull shot. He pulls it towards deep backward square leg. Adam Milne was present over there but puts the catch down. The batters take a single. How costly can this prove to be?
Rohit Sharma walks out at number 3.
2.5 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! Trent Boult strikes early. India lose their first wicket. Full and on leg, Ishan Kishan swings the bat across the line and gets decent contact too. But he hits it straight down the throat of the deep square leg fielder where Daryl Mitchell was stationed perfectly. He grabs the catch easily. A big wicket as Ishan Kishan could be a dangerous batsman on his day. He walks back to the pavilion for a timid score though.
2.4 overs (0 Run) Short of a length, outside off, at 140 kph. Ishan Kishan slashes it towards backward point off the back foot. The ball falls just short of the fielder.
2.3 overs (0 Run) Length ball, on leg. Ishan Kishan looks to flick again but misses this time. He gets hit on the pads.
2.2 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Ishan Kishan is underway as well! Length ball, on middle and leg. Ishan Kishan uses the angle and flicks it over mid-wicket. Didn't time it that well but will get a boundary.
2.1 overs (1 Run) Short of a length, on middle, at 138 kph. KL Rahul mistimes his pull to mid-wicket for a run.
1.6 overs (1 Run) Good-length ball, on off. KL Rahul guides it towards point. He retains the strike by picking up a single.
1.5 overs (0 Run) Length ball, on off. KL Rahul gently taps it towards mid off.
1.4 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Just over the man at mid on! Fuller in length, on middle and leg. KL Rahul clears his front leg and lifts it. Didn't get it from the middle of the bat. The ball goes just over the man at mid on and races away to the boundary.
1.3 overs (0 Run) On a good length, outside off, at 132 kph. KL Rahul dabs it to backward point off the back foot.
1.2 overs (0 Run) On a length, on middle. KL Rahul tucks it to mid-wicket.
1.1 overs (0 Run) Good-length ball, on middle. KL Rahul gets behind the line of the ball and defends it right under his eyes.
Who will bowl from the other end? It is Tim Southee.
0.6 over (0 Run) Back of a length, on off. Kishan gets up on his toes and defends it on the off side. A superb start from Trent Boult. Only a single from the opening over.
0.5 over (0 Run) Length ball, outside off. Ishan Kishan pushes the ball on the off side.
0.4 over (0 Run) Loud appeal for an LBW but turned down! Good-length ball, comes back in shaprly, on middle and leg. Ishan Kishan looks to work it on the leg side but misses. He gets hit on the front pad. Trent Boult pleads for an lbw but Richard Kettleborough says no.
0.3 over (0 Run) Length ball, on off, nipping away, at 134 kph. Ishan Kishan opens the full face of the bat and pushes it to mid on.
0.2 over (1 Run) Fuller in length this time, outside off. KL Rahul steers it to point. India and KL Rahul are undereway!
0.1 over (0 Run) Boult starts with a good-length ball, on off, at 129 kph. KL Rahul prods and taps it to point. A slight hesitation for a single as KL Rahul wanted one but is sent back by Ishan Kishan.
The players walk out and line up for their respective national anthems. It is New Zealand's first followed by India's. Done with all the pre-match formalities. It is time for the action as the players of New Zealand stride out to the middle. Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul are the openers for India. The players take the knee to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Trent Boult to start with the ball. Here we go...
Trent Boult is down for a chat. He says that they got plenty of time to prepare and are excited to play against India. Mentions that they are in good spirits and it is an exciting tournament. Adds that the ball might swing early on and they have done enough planning. It is all about getting out there and execute those plans well. He hopes that he get the ball early and then see what happens.
Virat Kohli, the skipper of India, says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that they need to keep wickets in hand to get those extra runs. Says that the break was too long but the players are ready and itching to get back on the pitch. Informs that there is one forced change -Suryakumar Yadav has got a lower back spasm and Ishan Kishan comes in for him. Also, Shardul Thakur come in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Informs that Ishan Kishan will open the innings.
Kane Williamson, the skipper of New Zealand, says that they will bowl first. Mentions that dew will come into play and they will look to chase. Tells that it is important for them to regroup and are up for the challenge against India. Informs that there is one change. Adam Milne comes in for Tim Seifert just to balance their bowling attack. Further adds that Devon Conway will keep.
India (Playing XI) - KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (C), Ishan Kishan (In for Suryakumar Yadav), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur (In for Bhuvneshwar Kumar), Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand (Playing XI) - Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (C), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne (In for Tim Seifert), Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
TOSS UPDATE - Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli are in the middle for the all-important toss. Up goes the coin and it lands in favour of the former. New Zealand have elected to BOWL first.
On the other hand, although New Zealand lost against Pakistan as well, they were in the game for the most part of the match. It was the duo of Shoaib Malik and Asif Ali who took the game away from them. On the bowling front, they seem fine and settled but it is their batters who need to provide some cushion. They make the most of the Powerplay but post that they seem to lose the tempo, a problem that Kane Williamson could resolve but not everytime. Historically, the Kiwis have enjoyed the wood over India in the ICC tournaments, across formats and on top of that, they have a 100 percent win record against them in the T20 World Cups which gives them the edge heading into this game. But India are a side who can turn the tables and New Zealand would be aware of that. It's strange what a solitary loss could do in tournaments like the T20 World Cup as a loss here for any team here could potentially close the door to the semi-final spot. It's a do-or-die situation for both the teams and they will definitely feel the heat. Both teams are coming after a loss against Pakistan and would want to avenge that but most importantly will eye those 2 crucial points. So who will it be? Well, our guess is as good as yours. Stay tuned as we bring you all the updates.
India didn't get the dream start they expected as they were completely thrashed by the arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter. The Men in Blue had no answers to Pakistan's belligerent batting that scripted a historic 10-wicket victory, leaving Virat Kohli with plenty of soul searching to do. The bowlers lacked bite with the ball and were a shade off-color. A lot of speculation has revolved around Hardik Pandya's bowling as well. It remains to be seen if he gets to roll his arm or not in this high-pressure clash. India's batting unit looks strong with Virat Kohli getting some runs under his belt while Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant playing handy cameos against Pakistan. A lot will rely on KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma at the top of the order though. Both the openers fell early on to Shaheen Afridi and it will be interesting to watch how they counter Trent Boult today who especially makes the ball swing early on. India would be keen to infuse some momentum in their game and there could not be a better time to do so.
India and New Zealand are set to lock horns in match number 28 of the T20 World Cup. The Men in Blue are yet to open their account in the mega event while the Black Caps haven't secured a win as well. Having lost one game apiece, it is the perfect opportunity for both the teams to get their first win in this match as a loss here could seriously jeopardize their semi final hopes. The stakes couldn't get any higher, could they? On that note, welcome to the coverage.
... MATCH DAY ...
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