NZ VS IND: Mitchell Santner & Co Rattles India For 209.

Mitchell Santner led from the front for the first time with the ball in hand. Santner was excellent with the ball and was ably supported by Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher as New Zealand put on an all-round bowling display to skittle India out for 209 in 42.1 overs. For India, it was a struggle to say the least, with Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan scoring 46 each while Naman Dhir made 22. The two tailenders, Arshdeep and Siraj, had fun taking the score past 200. But New Zealand should chase 210 down with ease.

Matthew Fisher’s double strike rocks India in the power play. 

Put into bat first, Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad came out to open the batting for India while Jacob Duffy had the new ball in hand for New Zealand. Duffy delivered a wide before Rohit got onto the front foot and eases it through extra cover for a boundary to get himself going. Matthew Fisher shared the new ball from the other end as Gaikwad looked to defend with an angled bat as the ball went past second slip for a boundary. Gaikwad then got the ball on the pads and flicked it away through midwicket for a boundary.

Duffy continued as Rohit cut it past backward point for a triple. Duffy overstepped but the free hit yielded only a single. Fisher continued and bowled a tight over. Duffy continued and bowled another good over. Fisher continued and drew first blood for the Kiwis as he dismissed Rohit for 7 off 13 balls with one four to his name with a chip straight to short midwicket. Virat Kohli walked out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Duffy continued as Gaikwad swivel pulled the ball past forward square leg for a boundary.

Fisher continued and got another as Kohli was dismissed for 5 off 7 balls as he went after it to slash hard outside off-stump as Seifert leaped to his right and took a good catch behind the stumps. Captain Shreyas Iyer walked out to bat next. Fisher conceded a wide but kept it tight. Duffy continued and got his first wicket of the day as he dismissed Gaikwad for 18 off 27 balls with 3 fours to his name as he played away from the body to get the outside edge through to the keeper who did the rest.

Axar Patel came out to bat next. He was put down early on as Dean Foxcroft put down a sharp chance at short midwicket with Axar getting a brace. Fisher continued to bowl the 10th over of the innings and bowled a maiden to Axar even as Fisher put down a tough chance of his own bowling. India reached 37/3 in 10 overs of power play with Axar unbeaten on 3 off 11 balls while Shreyas was with him on 0* off 3 balls. We now entered the middle phase of the game.

New Zealand chip away at the wickets to keep India under pressure till the 25th over. 

Jacob Duffy continued post the power play as Shreyas drove it past mid-on for a boundary. Shreyas got a lifeline as he edged the ball to Finn Allen at wide slip who put him down. Axar then survived a run out scare at the bowler’s end as the direct hit missed the stumps. Shreyas then got on top of the bounce to play the short arm jab over deep midwicket for a boundary. Fisher continued as Iyer drove hard and got the edge through the point region for a boundary. Fisher conceded a wide while Axar rode the bounce and tucked it away past deep fine leg for a boundary.

Kristian Clarke came into the attack next. Axar pressed forward to drive it through covers for a boundary. Clarke delivered a wide to end an expensive over. Blair Tickner came into the attack next and bowled a quiet over as India were 69/3 in 14 overs when we paused for Drinks Break. Clarke continued after the break as Axar hit a welcome boundary to end the over.

Tickner continued as Axar hit the first maximum of the game with a launch over long-on for the maximum. Tickner delivered a wide as well. Captain Mitchell Santner came into the attack next. The 50-run stand came up between the duo. Tickner continued and broke the threatening stand as Shreyas was removed for 22 off 26 balls with 3 fours to his name as the short ball worked for the hosts as the batter mistimed the pull to mid-on fielder. Ishan Kishan came out to bat next as Tickner completed a wicket maiden over.

Michael Bracewell came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over. Tickner continued as Ishan got forward and pushed it between backward point and cover point for a boundary. India were 94/4 in 20 overs. Bracewell continued and kept things tight as usual. Tickner continued as Axar punched it between extra cover and mid-off for a boundary as he got on top of the bounce as the 100 came up for India in 21.1 overs. Tickner conceded a wide. Axar then got on top of the bounce and punched it through point region for a boundary.

Bracewell continued and bowled a decent over. Fisher returned to the bowling attack as Ishan drove it past mid-off for a triple. Bracewell continued and got rid of Axar for 46 off 55 balls with 5 fours and one six to his name as the batter chipped it to Young at short midwicket for a soft dismissal. Naman Dhir came out to bat next. India reached 121/5 in 25 overs with Ishan unbeaten on 14 off 23 balls and Naman just came to the crease on 0 off 0 balls at halfway stage of the innings.

Ishan Kishan keeps India floating, but Mitchell Santner and New Zealand chip away at wickets to keep the pressure on India till 40th over. 

Mitchell Santner continued and bowled a decent over. Michael Bracewell too kept things under check. Santner continued as Naman rocked back and muscled it to the left of midwicket for a boundary. Bracewell continued as Ishan sat down on one knee and swivel pulled it behind square for a boundary to deep backward square leg. Santner continued and bowled a quiet over as India reached 141/5 in 30 overs. Bracewell continued as Ishan used his feet and drilled it past short cover for a boundary. India were 148/5 in 31 overs when we paused for Drinks Break.

Santner continued after the break as Naman drove it past sweeper cover for a boundary. Bracewell continued and bowled another tight over. Santner continued as he dismissed Naman Dhir with Kelly taking the catch in the deep at extra cover for 22 off 31 balls with 2 fours to his name. Auqib Nabi came out to bat next. Nabi got a ball on the pads and flicked it to long leg for a boundary.

Bracewell continued and bowled a quiet over. Santner continued and dismissed Nabi for 5 off 9 balls with one four to his name as the batter chipped it to extra cover. Yash Thakur came out to bat next. Santner got another as he edged the ball to the keeper who did the rest. Mohammed Siraj came out to bat next. Bracewell continued and bowled a quiet over to finish his spell. Santner continued and kept things under check.

Jacob Duffy came back into the attack. Ishan decided to take on Duffy and used his wrists to whip it away over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Ishan went big again while going hard at it and hit it over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Santner came to bowl the 40th over and conceded a wide but bowled an economical over. India reached 183/8 in 40 overs with Ishan unbeaten on 46 off 55 balls alongside Siraj unbeaten on 2 off 14 balls as we entered the death overs phase of the game.

Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj provides late fireworks but India gets bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs. 

Jacob Duffy continued to bowl the 40th over and dismissed Ishan for 46 off 58 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name as he was caught at third man by Fisher. Arshdeep Singh came out to bat next and got off the mark with the maximum as he backed away and swung hard down the ground for the maximum over long-off. Arshdeep went big again as he backed away and swivel pulled it over deep forward square leg for the maximum.

Santner continued as Siraj connected it and launched it down the ground over long-off for the maximum. The 200 came up for India in 41.5 overs. Siraj got down on one knee and swung hard towards deep midwicket for the maximum. Santner ended his spell well. Duffy continued and finished things off really well with a slower ball that knocked Arshdeep over for 14 off 4 balls with 2 sixes to his name. Siraj remained unbeaten on 14 off 20 balls with one four and one six to his name as India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs. 10 extras given by the fielding side.

New Zealand had a field day with the ball in hand. Captain Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/47 in 10 overs. Jacob Duffy finished with 3/60 in 8.1 overs. Matthew Fisher finished with 2/28 in 7 overs. Blair Tickner finished with 1/24 in 5 overs. Michael Bracewell finished with 1/35 in 10 overs. Kristian Clarke bowled 2 overs for 13 runs. So, this means New Zealand needs 210 runs to win off 50 overs to level the series 2-2.

Who’s Winning, New Zealand or India? 

India managed to crawl past 200 runs. But this has been a disappointing batting display by India as the top order was blown away with ease. Yes, there was brief resistance from Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Naman Dhir, and the two tailenders in Arshdeep and Siraj but this is a below par score. India needs early wickets to make a match out of this contest. Otherwise, New Zealand should win this contest with ease. This should be a cakewalk.

Let’s see how the chase unfolds under the lights at the Bay Oval.

Also Read: NZ VS IND: Matt Henry’s 6-Wicket Haul Embarrasses India.