Team India wasted no time asserting dominance, thrashing New Zealand by 48 runs in the T20 series opener at Nagpur. Abhishek Sharma’s match-winning 84 off 35 balls, adorned with eight maximums, anchored a formidable 238/7.
Sent in to bat, India lost openers cheaply at 27/2. Enter Abhishek and skipper Suryakumar, who piled 99 runs in 47 balls. Surya’s 32 came off 22 with flair, but Abhishek’s demolition job—five fours included—turned the game.
Hardik’s 25 transitioned seamlessly into Rinku’s fireworks: 44* off 20 balls. New Zealand’s bowlers Duffy and Jamieson snared two each, yet the damage was colossal.
In reply, NZ’s top order folded dramatically—Conway duck, Ravindra 1. Phillips-Robinson’s 51-run stand paused the slide at 52/3. Phillips then anchored with 78 (40 balls, 6×6, 4×4) and 79 runs with Chapman’s 39, reaching 131.
Daryl Mitchell (28) and Santner (20*) fought, but 190/7 was insufficient. Varun and Dube’s 2-fer each, plus wickets from Arshdeep, Hardik, and Axar, sealed a clinical performance. India’s series lead sets up an intriguing contest ahead, with Abhishek emerging as the hero.