Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell conjured up fluid and fiery half-centuries before the spinners choked the hosts as New Zealand beat India by 21 points in the opening T20I to take a 1-0 lead in Friday’s three-match series. Asked to take the first strike, opener Conway continued his purple patch with a 35-ball 52, while Mitchell hit a 30-ball unbeaten 59, which included a last-over thrashing from Arshdeep Singh for 27 runs, to send the Black Caps to a challenging 176 for six. The Kiwi bowlers, led by Mitchell Santner (2/11) and Michael Bracewell (2/31), then spun a web around the home hitters and limited India to 155 for 9 in 20 overs.
India had a disastrous start to their chase with both Ishan Kishan (4) and Rahul Tripathi (0) sent back to the pavilion by the third over.
While Ishan was being tricked by Bracewell, pacer Jacob Duffy (1/27) caused a fine edge from Rahul’s blade. Shubman Gill (7) also died shortly after being tricked by Santner as India fell to 15 for three.
However, Suryakumar Yadav (47) looked good as he took two boundaries before picking one off his hips for a six from Lockie Ferguson (1/22).
Santner then bowled a girl as India reached 33 for three in the power playovers.
With the pitch providing grip and spin, the New Zealand spinners controlled procedure, keeping it flat and mixing length, even as Hardik unleashed a drive over extra cover to relieve the pressure.
Suryakumar too pulled out his series of sweep shots to keep the scoreboard ticking. When Blair Tickner was introduced he played a square cut and then sent another through a back run for successive fours as India reached 74 for 3 in 10 overs.
Legspinner Ish Sodhi was then sent inside out at maximum on extra cover, but New Zealand struck twice in the next five balls to eliminate both set batters.
While Surya chipped off a chip from Sodhi to Finn Allen for a long time, Hardik was caught and bowled by Bracewell when it all went downhill after that and India fell to 85 for five.
Deepak Hooda hit one over the rope before being stunned. Santner then ran out of Shivam Mavi. Ferguson bowled a wicket girl and removed Kuldeep.
Washington Sundar crushed a fighting 28-ball 50, but it was too late.
Earlier, Indian bowlers struggled to get their line and length, allowing New Zealand to get off to a good start.
Allen (35) crushed Hardik for back-to-back boundaries, while a juicy half-volley from Arshdeep hit straight to the boundary.
Conway, who had scored 138 in the third ODI at Indore, also penalized the left arm pacer for a wide ball as New Zealand scored 23 in two overs.
However, Sundar got plenty of wicket buying power and soon saw the back of Allen and Mark Chapman (0) in a five-delivery span to reduce New Zealand to 43 for 2.
However, Conway held on with two fours and a six off Umran Malik, who bled 16 runs in his only over.
Hardik came back and tried to mix up his bowling, with more cutters and slower deliveries as New Zealand reached 79 for 2 on 10 overs.
Conway used the slog sweep and his feet to push boundaries at Kuldeep and Hooda as New Zealand passed the 100 mark in the 13th over.
Kuldeep then struck with a googly as Glenn Phillips went for a slog but was hollowed out by Surya in the deep midwicket.
Daryl Mitchell then joined Conway and, after surviving two video references for a caught behind and an LBW, destroyed Hardik for two maximums.
Conway, on the other hand, completed his fifty in the 16th over, but was soon dismissed by Arshdeep and Hooda took the catch at long range.
Ishan Kishan then ran out new man Bracewell (1) and Shivam Mavi had Santner (7) caught by Rahul Tripathi as India appeared to pull things off.
However, Arshdeep gave up 27 runs in the last over, with Mitchell knocking him off three sixes and a four.
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