Right then! A target of 154 with the dew setting in should be something that India would back themselves to chase with ease. But, the Kiwi bowling attack is known to make a game of these lowish scores. Will they live to fight another day in the series? The chase will tell us. Do not go anywhere.
Harshal Patel (4-0-25-2) says that it's a great feeling to play for the country. Adds that this is a privilege for him and he is not going to take it for granted. Shares that Rahul Dravid, the coach of India, told him to express himself and enjoy the game. Tells that he has reached here after playing 9-10 years of domestic cricket and it's a satisfying moment for him.
A brilliant show by India with the ball. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar searched for swing in the first few overs and were hammered by the Kiwi openers. But once the Indian bowlers realized that pace off is the key on this surface, there was no looking back. They hit the hard lengths, used the cutters to strangle the Kiwi batters in the middle overs. Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin bowled 8 overs for just 45 runs and took a wicket each. Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were quite expensive but recovered well in the death overs. The pick of the bowlers though was debutant Harshal Patel. The pacer went for 25 and took 2 big wickets in his spell. Here he comes for a chat...
The Kiwis had a great start with the bat as they raced away in the Powerplay thanks to some brilliant hitting by Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell, and scored 64 runs. But after that, they went off the rails a bit. The cutters and the spin bowling of Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin were too much for them to deal with and they could not get the momentum that they would have liked. Glenn Phillips did get a start in the middle overs but none of the other batters supported him. In the end, they ended up scoring only 153 on a deck which is only going to get better with the falling dew.
A brilliant fightback by India! New Zealand had a flying start and it looked like 170 was on the cards, but once the Powerplay was done, it was all about India. The bowlers made things tough for the Kiwis and were rewarded with timely wickets. India would back themselves to chase it down.
19.6 overs (2 Runs) SAFE! Length ball, around off. Mitchell Santner heaves it towards deep mid-wicket and comes back for the second run. Shreyas Iyer runs in from the deep and throws it to the keeper's end. The throw is a bit wayward so Rishabh Pant runs forward to collect the ball and he hits the stumps at his end. The square leg umpire sends the decision upstairs but the replays suggest that Santner is well inside the crease. New Zealand finish with 153/6.
Is that a run out? Nope, Mitchell Santner is inside the crease.
19.5 overs (0 Run) Two dots in a row! Another play and a miss! Good-length ball, outside off. Mitchell Santner sits back and looks to power it on the leg side but he misses.
19.4 overs (0 Run) Play and a miss! A slower ball, on a length, outside off. Mitchell Santner looks to slog it to the deep mid-wicket region but he fails to get any bat on it.
19.3 overs (1 Run) Leg bye! Full ball, just outside off. Adam Milne shuffles across and looks to scoop it over short fine leg but he misses and gets hit on his pad. The ball rolls away to the off side for a leg bye.
19.2 overs (2 Runs) Back of a length, outside off. Adam Milne looks to pull yet again but gets hit high on his bat and the ball falls short of the deep square leg fielder. The fielder collects the ball and throws it to the keeper's end who whips the bails off. Adam Milne is well inside his crease and so the leg umpire does not go upstairs.
19.1 overs (2 Runs) Aerial, but the ball falls in no man's land yet again! Slower ball, into the pitch, outside off. Adam Milne looks to pull but gets it away from the splice of the bat and the ball goes to the vacant mid on region. Two runs.
18.6 overs (0 Run) A dot to end the over! Fuller in length, just outside off. Mitchell Santner looks to heave it away but he only manages a thick inside edge and the ball rolls to the keeper.
18.5 overs (2 Runs) Patel bangs it into the deck, outside off. Mitchell Santner flat-bats it over the bowler's head and collects a couple of runs.
18.4 overs (1 Run) Length ball, outside off. Adam Milne drags it towards deep mid-wicket and takes a run.
18.3 overs (1 Run) In the air...safe! Another ball, slower and shorter in length, around off. Mitchell Santner looks to tuck it on the leg side but gets a leading edge and the ball falls just wide of Rohit Sharma at extra cover. A single taken!
18.2 overs (0 Run) A slower ball, into the pitch, around off. Mitchell Santner gets deceived by the change of pace and gets hit high on his bat. The ball falls just short of Harshal Patel.
18.1 overs (2 Runs) Back of a length, around leg. Mitchell Santner tucks it to the leg side for a couple of runs.
Adam Milne is the new batter.
17.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT! Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets his man and his plan of bowling wide to Neesham has worked for him! A length ball, angling away from outside off. Neesham looks to go over extra cover but he only manages a thick outside edge. The ball goes to Rishabh Pant behind the sticks who takes an easy catch. Bhuvneshwar Kumar appeals but Neesham walks even before the umpire raises his finger.
Change of bats, please! James Neesham needs a new bat as the bottom part of his bat has come off.
17.5 overs (0 Run) Oh, dear! What was that? James Neesham has broken the bottom of his bat and the broken part of the bat loops up in the air. For a moment it seemed that it was the ball which went up int the air. The ball hits the bottom and dabs onto the deck.
17.4 overs (0 Run) Slower ball, on a length, outside off. James Neesham looks to go downtown but he misses yet again!
17.3 overs (1 Run) Good-length ball, around leg. Mitchell Santner gets an inside edge onto his pad as he tries to block it and takes off for a quick run.
17.2 overs (1 Run) A slower ball, angling away from outside off. James Neesham looks to heave it across the line but it goes off the inner half behind square on the leg side for a single.
17.1 overs (0 Run) Play and a miss! Full ball, outside off. James Neesham looks to heave it on the leg side but he does not get any blade on it.
Change in bowling. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-0-37-0) is back on.
16.6 overs (1 Run) Slower ball, into the pitch, outside off. James Neesham stays back, swivels and pulls it along the ground towards deep square leg. The batters take a run.
16.5 overs (0 Run) Length ball, on leg. James Neesham misses his nudge and the ball just clips his pads before rolling to the keeper.
16.4 overs (0 Run) Another slower ball, on a length, outside off. James Neesham gets deceived by the change of pace and fails to get any bat on it.
Mitchell Santner is the new batter.
16.3 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! The debutant gets his second wicket and New Zealand slip further! A slower ball, into the deck, around off. Glenn Phillips looks to clear deep mid-wicket by playing the pull shot but he miscues it and the ball goes straight to Ruturaj Gaikwad (sub) there who gulps it down with ease. A big wicket for India at this stage of the innings.
16.2 overs (0 Run) Length ball, outside off. Glenn Phillips reaches out and tries to slog it on the leg side but he fails to get any bat on it.
16.2 overs (3 Runs) NO BALL! A beamer, around off! Glenn Phillips looks to pull as he is taken by surprise. The ball goes towards long on and the batters take a couple. Free Hit to follow. Slippery conditions and it's tough to grip the ball. Another beamer and Patel won't be allowed to complete his spell.
16.1 overs (6 Runs) SIX! BOOM! A low full toss, around off. Glenn Phillips sits back and tonks it over long on for a biggie!
Change. Harshal Patel (2-0-9-1) is back on.
15.6 overs (0 Run) Floated, around middle and leg. James Neesham prods and eases it down to long on for a single. That ends Ravichandran Ashwin's spell! He finishes with figures of 4-0-19-1.
15.6 overs (1 Run) Wide! Ashwin errs in line and spills this one down leg. James Neesham misses his flick and the umpire calls it a wide.
15.5 overs (1 Run) A carrom ball, on a length, outside off. Glenn Phillips rocks back and cuts it to sweeper cover for a run.
15.4 overs (1 Run) Fuller in length, around middle and leg. James Neesham tucks it to the leg side and gets off the mark with a single.
15.3 overs (0 Run) Flighted delivery, around off, turning away a bit. James Neesham blocks it off the front foot.
15.2 overs (0 Run) Flatter ball, around off. James Neesham stays back and punches it to the left of Rohit Sharma at extra cover. He dives there and saves a run.
James Neesham walks out to bat.
15.1 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT! Ravichandran Ashwin strikes and Tim Seifert departs! Flatter ball, on a length, around off and it's bowled quicker through the air, nearly 100 kph. Seifert tries to get cheeky, gets down on his knee and looks to play the reverse-batted shot. He though fails to middle his shot and it goes off the splice of the bat. The ball travels straight to Bhuvneshwar Kumar at short third man who takes a simple catch without moving an inch.
Match Reports
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