Hardik Pandya in action during the 1st India-New Zealand T20I.©AFP
After New Zealand won the first T20I by 21 runs on Friday, India’s captain Hardik Pandya said the field at JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi “surprised us”. The Kiwis took a 1-0 lead in the three-game series as India’s batting crumbled under the lights in Ranchi. Chasing a target of 177, India was limited to 155 for nine in 20 overs despite Washington Sundar’s first fifty in the format. However, Hardik said his team gave up some extra runs, which made life difficult for the batters.
“Nobody even thought the wicket would play like that and both teams were surprised. But they played better cricket on this and that’s why the result ended up like this. Actually the new ball was spinning more than the old one and the way it was spinning, the way it bounced, it took us by surprise But somehow we pulled it back and we were in the match until Surya and I got to bat In hindsight I don’t think this wicket was 177 we were bad with the ball and in the end we gave 25 runs more than par…,” said Hardik at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Hardik praised Sundar, who scored 50 from 28, for keeping India in the hunt, adding that his young side will only get better.
“It’s a young group and we will only learn from this. The way he bowled, batted and fielded; it was Washington against New Zealand today. We needed someone who can bat and bowl gives us a lot of confidence and it will help.” ahead of us,” he added.
The win saw New Zealand take a 1-0 series win to face India in the second T20I in Lucknow on Sunday.
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