India v New Zealand
Wisden's review of India v New Zealand
Tim Wigmore
15-Apr-2017
At Nagpur, March 15, 2016 (floodlit). New Zealand won by 47 runs. Toss: New Zealand.
New Zealand stunned a sell-out crowd in Nagpur, which - having hosted some distinctly subdued first-round matches - was transformed for the opening game of the Super Tens. To general disbelief, India were humbled by spin: Santner, Sodhi and Nathan McCullum claimed nine for 44 in 11 overs, spectacularly vindicating New Zealand's decision to omit their usual new-ball pair of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Emotions ran high before the start as the big screen played a tribute to Martin Crowe, who had died 12 days earlier. Guptill - one of his prote´ge´s - thundered the first ball, from Ashwin, for a straight six. But he fell lbw trying to sweep the second and, though Munro reverseswept his second delivery for six more, New Zealand stuttered badly. That Anderson, normally a brazen hitter, took 42 balls over his 34 betrayed their struggles on a slow pitch offering significant turn, and it took a resourceful cameo from Ronchi to lift them to 126. But India were in for a shock. McCullum trapped Dhawan in the opening over, before Santner - who finished with four for 11, the best Twenty20 figures by a New Zealand spinner - removed Sharma and Raina in his first to make it 12 for three. Yuvraj Singh provided a return catch for McCullum, and then came the decisive blow as Kohli edged a sharp leg-break from Sodhi. That was 39 for five, which soon became 43 for seven, leaving Dhoni with far too much to do. India, who had never lost more than five wickets to spin in a Twenty20 innings, soon succumbed to their fifth defeat out of five by New Zealand in the format.
Man of the Match: M. J. Santner.
New Zealand stunned a sell-out crowd in Nagpur, which - having hosted some distinctly subdued first-round matches - was transformed for the opening game of the Super Tens. To general disbelief, India were humbled by spin: Santner, Sodhi and Nathan McCullum claimed nine for 44 in 11 overs, spectacularly vindicating New Zealand's decision to omit their usual new-ball pair of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Emotions ran high before the start as the big screen played a tribute to Martin Crowe, who had died 12 days earlier. Guptill - one of his prote´ge´s - thundered the first ball, from Ashwin, for a straight six. But he fell lbw trying to sweep the second and, though Munro reverseswept his second delivery for six more, New Zealand stuttered badly. That Anderson, normally a brazen hitter, took 42 balls over his 34 betrayed their struggles on a slow pitch offering significant turn, and it took a resourceful cameo from Ronchi to lift them to 126. But India were in for a shock. McCullum trapped Dhawan in the opening over, before Santner - who finished with four for 11, the best Twenty20 figures by a New Zealand spinner - removed Sharma and Raina in his first to make it 12 for three. Yuvraj Singh provided a return catch for McCullum, and then came the decisive blow as Kohli edged a sharp leg-break from Sodhi. That was 39 for five, which soon became 43 for seven, leaving Dhoni with far too much to do. India, who had never lost more than five wickets to spin in a Twenty20 innings, soon succumbed to their fifth defeat out of five by New Zealand in the format.
Man of the Match: M. J. Santner.