After winning the 2nd T20I with 1 ball to spare on January 29, Sunday, team India squared off against New Zealand in the final contest on Wednesday and after winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Hardik Pandya-led team got off to a fiery start although Ishan Kisha disappointed with his poor run as the southpaw contributed just a run for the team.
However, it was Shubman Gill who stood up for the team with his unbeaten 126 runs off 63 balls, scoring at a strike rate of 200, eventually smashing 12 fours and seven sixes along the course. While Gill’s innings was one of the standout performances of the game, Rahul Tripathi’s 22-ball 44 set the tone for the Men in Blue early on in the game.
It was one of the stunning innings from the right-handed batter as fans claimed that it was impossible for him to continue in the shortest format of the game. Captain Pandya, played a handy knock in the end with his 17-ball 30 and skyrocketed the team’s total past 200. However, it was Gill who provided the much-needed finish and pushed the team’s total to 234.
Fiery start from team India bowlers rattles New Zealand’s top order
As far as the chase is concerned, the Indian pacers got off to a great start with the ball as the Black Caps lost 4 wickets after putting on just 7 runs on the board, leaving the team management and the fans stunned. To add more, the likes of Pandya and Arshdeep Singh caused immense damage to the top order as the duo picked up a two-for apiece just 3 overs into the chase.
While Fin Allen returned to the dressing room after gathering 3 runs, the likes of Devon Conway, Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips made their way back to the dressing room for 1, 0 and 2 runs respectively. Daryl Mitchell counter-attacked with a six right away only to survive an LBW scare off Arshdeep’s ball in the 4th over. Much to the delight of the fans, Umran Malik carried on with the momentum and picked up the fifth wicket as he sent Michael Bracewell back to the dressing room for just 8 runs leaving the Kiwis reeling at 21/5.
The likes of skipper Mitchell Santner and Mitchell joined hands with the hope to lift the team up as they steadied the inning in vain as the former perished for 13 runs off Shivam Mavi’s delivery. In no time, the Kiwis lost their seventh wicket and were struggling to get things going. Much to the surprise of the Indian fans, New Zealand were bundled out for just 66 runs and it was the Men in Blue who won the game by 168 runs and clinched the series 2-1.
Here’s how fans have reacted to India’s emphatic win against New Zealand in the final T20I:
Umar to Bracewell: #INDvsNZ #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/CBf33BLEpO
— ?? ??? (@baabaagyaani) February 1, 2023
NZ ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? 11 ??? ??#INDvsNZ
— ?????? (@MeinKampF_2) February 1, 2023
Shocker of a pitch this ! #HardikPandya #SackTheCurator #INDvsNZ
— Anindya Dutta ?? (@Cric_Writer) February 1, 2023
https://twitter.com/harishm305/status/1620812504606851075?s=20&t=LZRBE-q5TaKihIPrtfiRog
Shubman Gill is Kylian Mbappe Of Cricket..??#INDvsNZ #ShubmanGill
— Sairaj_Kokate ?? (@sairaj_kokate) February 1, 2023
Ye to pitch hi change ho gai!#IndvsNZ
— Sumo (@sumo_pehlawan) February 1, 2023
Kiwi Tikka bana diya aaj to
— anil (@anil96607339) February 1, 2023
Its a massacre??? #IndvsNZ
— Krishna Das (@Krishna74055435) February 1, 2023
Bhai abhi tum aese hara rahe, fir ye semi finals mai badla to lenge hi na?#IndvsNZ
— _bhupsa (@bhupsa011) February 1, 2023
Indiaaa winnn 168 run???????? 2-1 series win #IndvsNZ
— Kakabhukal ?? (@kakabhukal) February 1, 2023
They gotta keep playing these bilateral series during the World Cup.#IndvsNZ
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) February 1, 2023
