New Zealand inflict biggest defeat to India in T20s

WELLINGTON (Agencies): New Zealand inflicted the biggest defeat on India in the first T20I of the three-match series on Wednesday at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. As India failed to chase down the massive 220 run target, by faltering at 139 runs all out to lose by 80 runs, it beat the previous worst defeat. India’s previous biggest T20I defeat, by margin of runs, was 49 runs against Australia on May 7, 2010. Since then, India have lost 11 matches while batting second but none by a bigger deficit.

Overall, when batting second, India have lost 17 matches while 21 defeats have come when they’ve batted first. India have played 111 T20I matches thus far with a record of 69 wins, 38 defeats, 1 tie and three matches ending without a result.

With New Zealand scoring 219 runs, it is the third biggest total conceded by India in the shortest format of the game. The two previous biggest totals that India faced were 245/6 against West Indies in 2016 and 219/4 against South Africa in 2012.

Put in to bat first, New Zealand never took their foot off the gas and completely bulldozed past the Indian bowling. Tim Seifert scored 84 runs from 43 balls to create a big impact at the top of the order. There were further rapidfire runs from Colin Munro (34 runs from 20 balls), Kane Williamson (34 runs from 22 balls) and Ross Taylor (23 runs from 14 balls).

None of the Indian bowlers could make a dent or prove to be economical. Hardik Pandya conceded 51 runs, Khaleel Ahmed 48 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 47 from their allotted four overs.

In reply, MS Dhoni (39) provided some fight late on but it looked a lost cause from the onset.

It didn’t help with Rohit Sharma falling cheaply. Shikhar Dhawan (29) and Vijay Shankar (27) tried to give the push but the ask was too much for the visitors.

India went from 51/1 before Rohit’s dismissal to 77/6 as Hardik exited.

Tim Southee emerged as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/17 from four overs.

Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi all chipped in with two wickets each.