34.3 overs New Zealand 108 (Phillips 36, Shami 3-18, Washington 2-7, Hardik 2-16) Vs. India
India’s fast bowlers raced through New Zealand with precision, swing, bounce and two sharp return catches to bowl them out for 108 in less than 35 overs on their international debut at the Shaheed Vir Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. .
Shami was the first to strike as he followed a couple of outswingers that came one and bowled Finn Allen for a wicket in the first over. His swing, and Siraj’s plunging seam and good carry added to the top order, and then Siraj edged Henry Nicholls at first slip in the sixth over. Barring a few wides from Shami, India’s fast bowlers didn’t do any free bowling early on.
Four balls after Nicholls fell, Shami took a sharp left-hand return catch off Daryl Mitchell and although Rohit Sharma dismissed him early, Shami finished his first spell with 4-1-5-2. finished Siraj was also dropped after his first spell of 4-14-1, but Thakur and Hardik also found success soon after being brought on.
Dion Conway registered the first boundary of the innings in the ninth over off Thakur, but Hardik took a quick, one-handed return catch to send Conway back for 7 in the next over. Thakur then got on the scorecard when Tom Latham, who had dropped almost half of his first 16 balls, chased a wide delivery and took his second catch to Shubman Gill at first slip.
From 56 for 6, Phillips and Santner put on a patient stand of 47 off 70 balls, with Santner getting out off Kuldeep for two lives. The first over after Bracewell’s fall came when Rohit missed a difficult chance diving to his right at mid-wicket, and Kuldeep later took an easy return catch despite going over his head with both hands. , when Santner was at 6.
Phillips scored at a good clip with boundaries during his 36 every time he got a loose delivery from Thakur. Santner also hit two fours off Kuldeep after the halfway point of the innings with a confident stroke, but he fell just after New Zealand crossed the 100 mark.
Hardik opened the 31st over with a slower 112.8 kmph ball that Santner cut on the inside edge, sparking another collapse. Two Washington long hops saw Phillips and Lockie Ferguson hole out at deep midwicket, and Kuldeep trapped Blair Tickner in his eighth over as New Zealand lost their last four wickets for just five runs in 27 balls. .
