New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I at Christchurch, Feb 25 2009, India tour of New Zealand

RESULT
1st T20I (N), Christchurch, February 25, 2009, India tour of New Zealand
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162/8
(18.5/20 ov, T:163) 166/3

New Zealand won by 7 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
56* (49)
brendon-mccullum
Match centre 
Scorecard summary
India 162/8(20 overs)
61* (43)
2/29 (4)
New Zealand 166/3(18.5 overs)

It was comfortable for New Zealand in the end. McCullum batted through, playing a sensible hand, without going for the big shot too early in his innings. He was helped by a solid show from the rest of the batsmen, as partnerships of 54, 50 and 60 show.

162 was always going to be hard to defend especially given the size of the ground. India's frontline bowlers did a decent job but the back-up wasn't quite up to the mark - the seven overs of Irfan, Yusuf and Yuvraj went for 92 runs.

At the presentation ceremony, Dhoni says he wants the batsman to take more responsibility, and that it was a learning experience for the team. "Happy with the way the bowlers bowled as it was a placid track, especially Harbhajan who is coming off a long break, " Dhoni said.

Vettori also praises his bowlers' performance for keeping India down to 162, and is also pleased with the way Brendon McCullum managed the chase.

McCullum is the Man of the Match. He calls his innings 'ugly' and says he never really got used to the pace of the track. He says he was lucky Guptill, Taylor and Oram scored at a quick pace.

That's it from us for the first Twenty20, join us on Friday for the second game. Don't forget to tweak your Fantasy teams for that.

This is Siddarth Ravindran signing off, Binoy George was your scorer.

18.5
6
Pathan to Oram, SIX runs

glorious shot from Oram to finish things off for New Zealand, gets under a length ball from Yusuf, and clears the cover boundary with ease, that was all timing

18.4
1
Pathan to McCullum, 1 run

backs away and carves it through the covers

18.3
Pathan to McCullum, no run

uses his feet, gets a bottom-edge and Dhoni has to dive to his right to collect that one

18.2
2
Pathan to McCullum, 2 runs

this time it's an inside-edge towards square leg, batsmen run hard to take two

18.1
6
Pathan to McCullum, SIX runs

he gets a warm welcome from McCullum, down the track and launches that over long-on for a huge six, brings up his half-century as well

Who will Dhoni turn to for his final two overs? His three main bowlers - Zaheer, Ishant, and Harbhajan - have finished. Yusuf is given the ball

end of over 1813 runs
NZ: 151/3CRR: 8.38 RRR: 6.00
Brendon McCullum47 (45b 2x4 2x6)
Jacob Oram23 (14b 3x4 1x6)
Ishant Sharma 4-0-35-1
Harbhajan Singh 4-0-19-1
17.6
1
Sharma to McCullum, 1 run

back of a length, on middle and off, McCullum backs away and pokes it towards cover, gets a single

17.5
1
Sharma to Oram, 1 run

yorker outside off, dug out towards point, single

14 off 14 now

17.4
4
Sharma to Oram, FOUR runs

similar shot from Oram, gets hold of it this time, and the ball flies wide of long-on, one bounce and into the boundary

17.3
Sharma to Oram, no run

Oram tries to swipe it through midwicket, gets beaten, there's been a few of those from the New Zealand batsmen this innings

17.2
4
Sharma to Oram, FOUR runs

slower ball from Ishant, Oram waits on it and plays it uppishly over cover after clearing the front leg, the placement is fantastic, bisects the two fielders at the boundary

22 needed from 17 now

17.1
3
Sharma to McCullum, 3 runs

McCullum opens the face and steers it wide of third man, the batsmen get two, then there's an overthrow, giving New Zealand an extra run, not often that there are threes taken on this ground

Ishant bowling his final over

end of over 173 runs
NZ: 138/3CRR: 8.11 RRR: 8.33
Jacob Oram14 (10b 1x4 1x6)
Brendon McCullum43 (43b 2x4 2x6)
Harbhajan Singh 4-0-19-1
Irfan Pathan 3-0-38-0
16.6
Harbhajan to Oram, no run

that was quick from Harbhajan, 109kmph, full and on offstump, tapped back to the bowler by Oram, good over from Harbhajan

16.5
Harbhajan to Oram, no run

full and outside off, Oram goes for the cover drive but gets the toe end of the bat and the ball dribbles to the offside

16.4
2
Harbhajan to Oram, 2 runs

works a full ball on legstump wide of the fielder at midwicket, gives time for the batsmen to take two

16.3
Harbhajan to Oram, no run

Oram says he's had enough of the singles and tries to loft Harbhajan over the sightscreen, he's beaten

16.2
1
Harbhajan to McCullum, 1 run

pushed towards long-on this time, another single

16.1
Harbhajan to McCullum, no run

gives himself room to work the ball towards extra cover

end of over 1611 runs
NZ: 135/3CRR: 8.43 RRR: 7.00
Jacob Oram12 (6b 1x4 1x6)
Brendon McCullum42 (41b 2x4 2x6)
Irfan Pathan 3-0-38-0
Yuvraj Singh 1-0-17-0

That's the 22nd six in the game, the previous record was 20

15.6
6
Pathan to Oram, SIX runs

lovely shot from Oram to end the over, he lofts Irfan dead straight down the ground, it crashes into the advertising hoarding

15.5
1
Pathan to McCullum, 1 run

driven to deep midwicket, batsmen think about taking two but settle for one

15.4
Pathan to McCullum, no run

looks to play a cheeky paddle-sweep, is beaten again

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
SK Raina
61 runs (43)
2 fours5 sixes
Productive shot
leg glance
16 runs
0 four2 sixes
Control
74%
BB McCullum
56 runs (49)
2 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
off side drive on front foot
19 runs
1 four1 six
Control
63%
Best performances - bowlers
IG Butler
O
4
M
0
R
29
W
2
ECO
7.25
IE O'Brien
O
4
M
0
R
36
W
2
ECO
9
Match details
AMI Stadium, Christchurch
TossNew Zealand, elected to field first
Series
Season2008/09
Player Of The Match
Series resultNew Zealand led the 2-match series 1-0
Match numberT20I no. 84
Hours of play (local time)19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.20, Interval 20.20-20.40, Second Session 20.40-22.00
Match days25 February 2009 - night (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
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Instant answers to T20 questions
New Zealand Innings
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