Hosts New Zealand beat India by 80 runs in first Twenty20 at Westpac Stadium on Wednesday (Feb 6). India had won the toss and took the field.
Batting first, New Zealand set a formidable target of 220. Kiwi wicket-keeper Tim Seifert scored the highest of 84. For the guest team, Hardik Pandya grab two wickets and the rest of the bowlers took one wicket each.
Coming to bat next, team India didn’t anymore seem the daunting team that they were seen as during the ODI series that the two teams played together.
The team crumbled like a pack of cards with Indian wicket-keeper MS Dhoni scoring the highest of 39. Team India was all out for 139.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma conceded that his team “were outplayed in all three departments.” He did congratulate the Kiwi team on winning and said, “New Zealand played well, they had partnerships that allowed them to get such a big score.”
NZ captain Kane Williamson on praising his team said, “Fantastic performance all around, everyone rose and it was one of those complete performances that you search for. But it has finished now, we move on in a day’s time and we have another game.”
Seifert, who was adjudged Player of the Match, said: “It was a great way to start the series and the boys are really happy.”
The next T20 will be played at Auckland and the fans are expecting another power-packed performance by both teams.
