New Zealand beat India by eight wickets in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Super-12 game in Dubai
Kohli's men have now played two games and suffered two heavy defeats
Tonight's Super-12 match saw India and New Zealand clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium with both teams seeking their first win to keep their tournament hopes alive. New Zealand ended up winning the match by eight wickets...
Full scorecard here
Match report: New Zealand post a clinical win over India
A.K.S. Satish, Assistant Editor
Dubai: New Zealand produced a clinical performance to inflict a lasting damage on India with a comprehensive win in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup Super-12 clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium today.
After restricting India to a paltry 110 for seven in 20 overs, Daryl Mitchell and Martin Guptill put them on track, before Kane Williamson gave the finishing touches with his deft game. Barring Jasprit Bumrah, none of the other Indian bowlers could make any dent on the New Zealand batting, making one wonder if it was a different wicket when India batted.
There were no demons when Indian bowlers operated, mainly due to the low target and the Black Caps did not show any hurry to score the winning runs in 14.3 overs. Williamson remained unbeaten on 33, while Mitchell narrowly missed the half-century after being dismissed for 49.
New Zealand kept their game simple to completely outplay Virat Kohli’s men in a thoroughly one-sided contest. The Men in Blue started as a favourites, but that tag eroded when New Zealand won the toss and elected to field.
The Indian team, ready for the challenge, made various gambit, but Williamson’s men had an answer to every move, trapping the Indians at their crease. With no way to move, the Indian batters tried to escape through the aerial route only to find the fielder every time and perish for their folly.
New Zealand win by eight wickets
New Zealand score a comprehensive eight-wicket win over India. Chasing a target of 111, the Black Caps eased to victory in 14.3 overs.
OUT!
Bumrah gets the second wicket for India against New Zealand. The Indian pacer's subtle pace variation forced Daryl Mitclhell to play a lofted drive only to be caught by Rahul at long on. The right-handed opener agonizingly missed a well-deserved half-century by one run. New Zealand are 96/2 after 13 overs.
10 overs - NZ 83/1 (Target 111)
Shardul Thakkur's first over costs him 14 runs as New Zealand go into the strategic break at 83/1 at halfway stage. The Black Caps need another 28 runs to win the crucial two points.
9 overs - NZ 69/1 (Target 111)
Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell milk the bowling to take New Zealand to 69/1 after 9 overs. The Black Caps are not taking any chances and capitalise on the spread field to ease towards the target.
6 overs - NZ 44/1 (Target 111)
New Zealand are racing towards the target, scoring 14 off Ravindra Jadeja to maximise the field restrictions in powerplay overs. After six overs, the Black Caps are 44/1.
OUT!
Jasprit Bumrah gives India the much-needed breakthrough, dismissing the dangerman Martin Guptill for 20. The New Zealand opener skied the ball to mid-on trying to hit the Indian pacer through the line with Shardul Thakkur completing the catch in the second attempt. New Zealand are 28/1 in 4 overs.
3 overs - NZ 18/0 (Target 111)
Mid-match summary: Boult and Sodhi keep the famed Indian batting under check
A.K.S. Satish, Assistant Editor
New Zealand bowlers, led by Trent Boult and birthday boy Ish Sodhi, kept the famed Indian batting under complete control in the Super-12 clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India were reduced a paltry 110 for 7 at the end of 20 overs.
Boult finished with a three-wicket haul, while Sodhi got the prize scalps of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite getting a life when on naught, Rohit did not capitalize on the reprieve and ended up scooping the ball to long on.
On a pitch that offered tremendous assistance to the bowlers, Indian skipper Kohli’s various strategies were never allowed to be implemented by the marauding Black Caps. The Men in Blue losing their wickets at regular intervals did not give them any freedom to play their shots.
New Zealand bowled a tight line and length, did not allow the Indian batters any room to play their shots, and used their variation to good effect. The impeccable bowling was well backed by tremendous fielding, which forced the Indian batters to try something out of the ordinary and in the process fell in the trap, by playing in the air while going for their big shots.
No 7 Ravindra Jadeja finishing the top-scorer with 26 not out shows the dismal effort by the rest of the batters. Indian bowlers need to produce some magic to give some hope to the fans, who have been silent for most part of Indian innings.
20 overs - Ind 110/7 - New Zealand need 111 to win
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Trent Boult and New Zealand could do no wrong. Pandya hits a flat shot straight to long-off, where Guptill takes a chest-high catch to reduce India to 94/6 in 18.1 overs, leaving the Indian fans absolutely quiet.
17 overs - Ind 86/5
Finally, Pandya hits the first four off the last ball of the 17th over, ending 70-ball drought without a boundary. India are 86/5 after 17 overs.
OUT!
In a bid to break the shackles, Pant goes for a big heave only to be castled by Adam Milne. Ravindra Jadeja also survives a scare off his first ball as India are still unable to launch their innings against a disciplined Kiwis. After 15 overs India are 73/5.
14 overs - Ind 67/4
It’s been 53 balls since India scored the last boundary and still counting. The last four was hit by Rahul off Southee in over 5.1. A certain six in the previous over by Hardik Pandya was pulled back by Jimmy Neesham for a single, showing New Zealand’s intent and not giving even an inch away. India are 67/4 after 14 overs.
12 overs - Ind 58/4
Time and time again Indian batters are picking the fielders on the boundary line, hitting straight at their throats. Birthday boy Sodhi did not get one gift, but two special ones. First Rohit and then Kohli both playing in the air when the need of the hour was to take their innings as long as possible. After 12 overs, India are 58 for 4 after Santner tightened the screws on India with another miserly over, giving away 5 runs.
OUT!
Indian skipper Kohli also skies the ball off Sodhi to become the fourth wicket to fall for India, and fourth batter to be caught on the line. Boult accepts the offering at long on as the Men in Blue are precariously placed at 46/4 in the 11th over.
10 overs - Ind 48/3
India’s plans to counter New Zealand in the early part of the game have all gone for a naught after losing three wickets despite not scoring heavily in the first 10 overs. Once again it all depends on skipper Kohli and the rest of the middle-order to give India a defendable score in the second half of the innings. After 10 overs, India are 48/3.
Let's see what Mr Cricket UAE Anis Sajan has made of this match so far...
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Ish Sodhi comes in as New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson opts for a double-spin attack, with field spread after the powerplay overs. The move gets immediate result as Rohit Sharma lifts the ball straight to Martin Guptill at long-on to silence the Indian fans. India are in trouble at 40 for three. Rishabh Pant joins skipper Kohli.
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Rahul, who almost dragged the ball on to his stumps off a Southee slower one off the first ball, hits straight to Daryl Mitchell for another catch practice to complete the over and powerplay. India are 35/2 after six overs.
5 overs - Ind 29/1
Indian batters make Milne pay for the lapse. Rahul welcomes the pacer with a four, while Rohit finishes the over with a six after hitting a four in the previous over. India are 29 for one, 15 runs coming of the fifth over.
Adam Milne drops a sitter off Rohit Sharma when he was on 0, and could have dropped the match. Boult bowls a perfect bouncer to Rohit, who hits straight to Milne, but he floors it. Now Santner comes in as New Zealand introduces a spinner in the fourth over, a brave move.
OUT!
Kishan hits Boult straight into the hands of Daryl Mitchell, the lone fielder on the leg side. India are 11 for one and in comes Rohit Sharma.
2 overs - Ind 6/0
Indian openers see through the first two overs, scoring one off Boult, and 5 off Southee after Rahul gets a chancy four. India are 6 for no loss after two overs.
KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan to open the innings for India with skipper Kohli coming in at No 3. Kishan is opening to negate his Mumbai Indians-mate Trent Boult in the initial overs.
It is the same wicket where Australia and England played yesterday. The pitch should have good bounce early but might not swing as it is a second day pitch. It is a true wicket where one can hit the shot through the line. So fans can expect plenty of big shots today...
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field in the crucial Super-12 match against India in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium today. New Zealand make one change, Adam Milne comes in for Tim Seifert. India have made two changes. Suryakumar has a back spasm and Ishan Kishan in, while Bhuvneshkumar makes way for Shardul Thakkur.
The teams
India: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), James Neesham, Devon Conway(wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult.
Preview: Men in Blue should have edge over the Kiwis on favourable conditions
A.K.S. Satish, Assistant Editor
Dubai: Billions of cricket fans around the world will be eagerly awaiting the moment when Virat Kohli walks in with Kane Williamson for the toss in the Super-12 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight.
While winning the toss is proving a big deciding factor in the outcome of games, Kohli’s Men in Blue feel they have the capabilities to challenge any situation to emerge victorious. Indeed, they start as the favourites due to the favourable UAE conditions, familiarity in New Zealand bowlers and an unsettled Black Caps line-up.
But they are up against an opponent who have been destroying their dreams in the past few big occasions. Williamson is a shrewd captain who has been engineering India’s downfall. Can he do it in conditions alien to him? His batting form is also not helping his cause and shows that he is edgy as a batter while being a cool captain.
Both teams are chasing an important win to keep their hopes alive in the tournament after losing their opening games. So let’s see what unfolds after the toss when the umpires call, PLAY…