New Zealand VS India Match ball by ball Commentary

See you for round two - And that is that from a thrilling first night in Christchurch. The opener of a long tour lived up to the billing, with the two sides trading blows in an entertaining contest that went down to the final over. There is just a day’s break before the teams get right back at it here at the Hagley Oval, with the second T20I scheduled for Saturday, October 24. It is another sell-out, and the first ball will be bowled at 7 am GMT (12.30 pm IST). As always, you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care, and goodbye.

The skipper of India - Shreyas Iyer says it feels fantastic, joking that they do not have to worry about jet lag anymore. But he is quick to admit that when they started bowling, the pitch was playing a bit slow and they bowled slightly ahead of the hard lengths they wanted to hit. He details that once the dew came in, the ball started coming onto the bat nicely, and chasing 220, getting 85 in the first six overs was a tremendous start. On the openers, Iyer says they are experienced enough and do not need to be told how to go about their business. He notes that it does not happen every time, but when they click, they set up the game, and the rest of the batting unit tries to steady the ship and finish it off. On Naman Dhir, Iyer showers a lot of praises for him. Says that he (Dhir) gives the team a lot of options, and feels the calm and composed nature he showed tonight was magnificent.

The captain of New Zealand - Mitchell Santner, when asked about the blow to the head while attempting a catch, says it was a bit of whiplash, but he is feeling okay now. Feels the top order went about its business well, with Glenn Phillips consolidating the innings and Bevon Jacobs also striking well. Mentions that they were reasonably happy with the total and acknowledges that they were not at their best with the ball. He feels it was a tight game, with both teams having moments that could have gone either way.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Sanju Samson has been given the accolade for his swashbuckling 67 off just 33 balls. Samson says it feels really good, adding that they are just in the moment of having won the match and that whatever contribution you make, it feels good when the team wins. He calls it a nice overall contribution from everyone. On his conversations with Abhishek while batting, Samson shares that they do have conversations, but it does not make much sense, as they just watch the ball and hit it hard. About the pitch and the conditions, he says there was a lot of swing, too much in the second half actually. He notes that off the surface, the ball was coming on nicely, so they were trying to hold their shape. Samson adds that he summed up his game plan while keeping, but when he came out to bat, it was totally different.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Recap of the first innings - After New Zealand were asked to bat first, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert started watchfully before teeing off, but neither could play the long hand. It was Glenn Phillips who did the heavy lifting, keeping the boundaries coming at regular intervals and making the most of the long square boundaries to pick up twos. Bevon Jacobs chipped in with a vital cameo, and with Phillips batting through, New Zealand posted 225, their highest T20I total against India on home soil. There wasn't much to write home about for India with the ball. They were well below their best, and the fielding also left much to be desired.

A chase with a wobble - Despite the quick turnaround from the West Indies series and all the travel, it was business as usual for Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson as they set out to chase 226. The opening pair came out all guns blazing, and India’s Powerplay of 94/1 put them well ahead of the curve. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner dragged New Zealand back into it as the visitors lost their way through the middle phase, which has been happening often lately. The resurrection came through the stand between Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer, with both batters surviving dropped catches. Iyer could not see the chase through himself, but Naman Dhir took the tourists home without any further hiccups. None of the Kiwi pacers, apart from Nathan Smith, could bring about any control, and one wonders why it took so long for him to be introduced.

India go 1-0 up - The Men in Blue have pulled off their highest successful chase in T20Is, and that is one way to kickstart a long tour. At the halfway mark, New Zealand would have felt they had enough runs on the board, but they couldn't back it up with the ball. Their fielding also fell short of the standards they pride themselves on, as India made the most of their opportunities to seal a memorable win.