New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum’s (56*) splendid fifty took the hosts to a convincing 7-wicket victory over Team India in the Twenty20 opener at Christchurch on Wednesday. He was the Man of the Match for the day. For India, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Ishant bowled well to take a wicket each but the efforts weren’t enough to take their side home.
Lanky pacer Ishant Sharma struck on his first ball to get the breakthrough for his side by clinching opener Jesse Ryder’s (1) wicket. But the arrival of Martin Guptill spoiled the Indian party and then it only rained fours and sixes.
Guptill (41) sliced Indian bowling to take the score 54/1 at the end of five overs. Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh was then brought into attack and it clicked. The offie caught Guptill plumb to deprive the batsman his deserving fifty. The efforts seemed to be futile as by then he had already done the damage. Ross Taylor then joined confident McCullum at the crease.
Taylor kept the momentum to hit 31 runs and added on to the Indian worries before Zaheer Khan uprooted his leg stump. Jacob Oram walked in for the final few overs.
India was not left with many options in the end as McCullum’s solid strokes in and outside the boundary left the visitors beleaguered. He hit a brilliant 49-ball fifty to get Black Caps their first win of the series.
India kicked off the Twenty20 opener with their best bet – Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag but the pair couldn’t manage to splash its charm and gave away their wickets to pacer O’brien when they were on 6 and 26 respectively. Sehwag looked confident in the beginning to hit three consecutive massive sixes off Southee but failed to capitalize on the brisk start. Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma made their way in.
Middle-order batsman Sharma, who has been facing a slump in his form recently, here too couldn’t make prove his worth. He was sent back by Ian Butler back after putting just 7 runs to the board. Yuvraj Singh joined Raina at the crease.
All hopes were on the stylish hitter Yuvraj (1) but he too failed to revive the Indian innings and was caught napping in front of the wickets by skipper Daniel Vettori. Then Dhoni’s arrival bloomed expectations of a captain’s knock.
But the skipper failed to read pacer Ian Butler’s swirling delivery that removed his off-stump and he made his way back to pavilion on 2 runs. India looked in trouble at 61/5.
The brother charm didn’t work on day when it was desperately needed. India hit man Yusuf Pathan looked dangerous and played expectedly over the top when he smashed three consecutive sixes off McCullum. But was unlucky on the fourth ball to be brilliantly caught by Jacob Oram who did a repeat of Australia’s Adam Voges’ fantastic catch to get rid of Brendon McCullum in Sydney. Soon, brother Irfan joined him back in the pavilion on 12 runs.
Kiwis ate up the Indian batting order to leave them gasping on 101 at the loss of seven wickets. Tailender Harbhajan Singh and Raina were left the responsibility to hit some shots in and around the ground and they played up to the expectations. Raina (61*) hit a timely fifty and Harbhajan (21) supported him well to push the Indian total to 162/8 at the end of the innings.
Earlier, New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and decided to bowl first. For India, it is Harbhajan’s comeback after his injury and that makes Rvaindra Jadeja cool his heels in the dressing room.
Kylie Mills skipped the match while Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram were chosen in New Zealand’s playing eleven.
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma.
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Ian Butler, Iain O’Brien, Ewen Thompson.
Umpires: Gary Baxter and Evan Watkin, New Zealand.
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.
TV Umpire: Tony Hill, New Zealand.
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