IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: Daryl Mitchell’s crucial knock and other talking points

New Zealand had the last laugh in the first T20I against India in Ranchi on Friday, beating the hosts by 21 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Fifties from Devon Conway (52) and Daryl Mitchell (59*) took the Kiwis to 176 after being put to bat first, a total they successfully defended with the help of bowlers.

The Indian top-order failed to get going, and had to rely on Suryakumar Yadav (47), Washington Sundar (50), and a cameo from skipper Hardik Pandya (21 off 20 balls).

The hosts did not get off to a flying start in the chase, having lost three wickets in quick succession and being restricted to 33/3 in the powerplay phase.

Hardik Pandya and Co will look to improve on certain aspects as they aim to crawl back into the series, in Lucknow on Sunday.

Let’s now take a look at five talking points from the series-opener:

Clinical Washington Sundar

Game time is important for players like Washington Sundar as the team management looks towards youngsters with the 2024 T20 World Cup in their sights, and the 23-year-old impressed pretty well in the first T20I against New Zealand, despite his team going down.

Sundar was introduced by Hardik as early as in the third over of the Kiwi innings, and struck twice in the fifth over of the innings, getting rid of opener Finn Allen and Mark Chapman, after New Zealand had got off to a brisk start. Sundar’s dismissal of Chapman caught the eye of many, taking a one-handed stunner off his own bowling to see off the Hong Kong-born cricketer.

Sundar eventually finished with figures of 2/22 from four overs.

Later, Sundar came into bat at number six following the dismissal of Suryakumar Yadav, but he could not build substantial partnerships with his partners, and that hurt India’s momentum. However, Sundar showcased his brilliance with the bat, getting to his fifty off 25 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes.

Devon Conway’s knock sets the platform for NZ

New Zealand had lost two wickets in Finn Allen and Mark Chapman after a brisk start early on in the powerplay, but Devon Conway kept calm and let his bat do the talking.

Conway opened with Finn and forged a 43-run stand for the opening stand before he lost his fist two partners, but then came Glenn Phillips who despite managing just 17 runs, forged a 60-run stand with Conway.

Following Philips’ dismissal, Daryl Mitchell was the new man in, and the two shared 36 runs between them for the fourth wicket, before Conway was finally dismissed by Arshdeep Singh in the 18^th over.

After the double blow for the Kiwis in the latter half of powerplay overs, It was Conway’s knock that set the platform for a challenging total.

Daryl Mitchell’s crucial knock

If  it was Conway who set the tone for a challenging total, Daryl Mitchell (59*) made sure he made it even more worth it, staying unbeaten till the end.

New Zealand had just lost Phillips, and in came Mitchell, who wasted no time to settle down, and got to his fifty off 26 deliveries.

That last over from Arshdeep Singh proved to be the game-changer for New Zealand. As many as 27 runs came off that over, with three sixes and a four off Mitchell to turn the table in Kiwis’ favour.

What’s worse, the first ball Arshdeep bowled in that final over was a no-ball, that went for a six, and what followed after was not pleasing for any Indian fan.

It’s safe to say that Mitchell in fact stole the show in the final over for the Kiwis.

India lose early wickets

The pitch in Ranchi offered a lot of turn and bounce, and it was a tricky pitch to chase on. The Men in Blue found the going tough early on in the run chase, losing three early wickets inside the powerplay overs.

Ishan Kishan was the first to get dismissed, in the second over, having been cleaned up by Michael Bracewell, who unleashed a peach of a delivery as the ball spun past the outside edge to hit the off-stump.

Rahul Tripathi was the next to depart, after a not out decision was overturned following a New Zealand review. It was an appeal for a caught behind off Jacob Duffy’s ball, and UltraEdge showed a spike to prove the ball hit the bat on the way to the keeper.

And to make matters worse, Shubman Gill, who had scored a double century in the first ODI against the Kiwis recently, was dismissed by Mitchell Santner, with Finn Allen completing a catch at forward square leg.

SKY-Pandya stand

India were in a spot of bother at 15/3 following the dismissal of Gill, but there was a revival of sorts thanks to a 68-run stand between Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.

While SKY could not register a fifty on Friday, his innings was still impactful, hitting six fours and two sixes in an innings that lasted 34 deliveries.

The two played some entertaining loft shots, some slog sweeps, to help India reach a position where they could take the Kiwis down, but they lost SKY just when he was looking in good rhythm. Hardik followed soon after in the 13^th over, and following his dismissal, India were in all sorts of trouble once again, and it was difficult for the Men in Blue to claw back into the game.

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