Pant wins it with a straight six! Skips out and turns this into a slot ball, bottom hand off the bat as he slams it into the sight screen - India win by seven wickets and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series
11.15pm: That's yer lot for tonight, thanks for getting stuck in, as always. Karthik's report is in the slot and we'll be back for more as the series concludes in a couple of days' time. From myself, KK and the scorers, it's cheerio for now. Bye!
11.05pm: Time for the presentations, starting with Tim Southee: "Credit to India, they pulled it back nicely after the first six and played the better cricket throughout the game. [Dew] We knew it was going to be wet, it was wet for both teams. There was dew on the ground when we turned up and we knew it would be a factor, but they were too good tonight. [Third T20I] We'll review, different venue, we try to adapt to conditions. Quick turnaround but we'll assess when we get to Kolkata."
India captain Rohit Sharma: "Great effort from entire unit, wasn't the easiest of conditions but the way we applied ourselves was great. Under pressure, we know their quality as a batting outfit. I kept telling the bowlers it's just about one wicket, if we get that we can put the brakes. We know the quality of our spinners and can always pull things back. The bench strength, these guys have been performing consistently, so there's pressure on the guys on the field. Important for me to give them freedom and the external things will take care of themselves. It's a young team, a lot haven't played a lot of games. [Changes] Haven't given any thought to it, whatever suits the team moving forward we will try to do that [but] we want to make sure we take care of the guys who are playing first. [Harshal Patel] He's done it many times, playing first-class cricket for many years, he knows what he wants to execute and is a very skillful bowler."
And the debutant Harshal Patel is named Player of the Match for his 2 for 25: "It ran through a bit because you're so engrossed in the process you forget to enjoy what's happening around you. You have to be engrossed and switched on from the moment you walk out, but it will sink in, I couldn't have asked for a better debut. Progress is gradual and slow, someone like me who wasn't exceptionally talented, I had to build my game from the ground up. So I made mistakes and then found the process of what works for me. It's been a great journey, taught me so many life lessons, even after cricket it will hold me in good stead. [Slower balls, etc] Don't feel you need a lot of variations, just need to do what you do well. In these conditions, I couldn't bowl yorkers because I wasn't confident - but I feel that is a delivery I bowl well and I still want to get better at it. This is just another platform to come out and perform and express myself, just want to do that and enjoy whatever comes my way."
10.55pm: Business-like stuff from India, as they knock off their target with almost three overs to spare. The openers invited a little pressure on with a slowish start, but KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma knew exactly what they were doing, both notching half-centuries during a 117-run stand - in doing so, they equalled Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's record for most century opening partnerships in men's T20Is. NZ fielded well - although Boult's miss of Rohit didn't help the cause - and scrapped most of the way, but didn't have enough on the board after their innings fell away in the second half. They'll only have pride to play for when the series concludes in Kolkata on Sunday
Here's Rahul talking to the host broadcaster: "Think we did really well puling the game back after the first six. NZ hit us hard so it was important we pull things back. The bowlers had a chat and decided pace off might work. The ball was soaking wet and it didn't grip as much as we thought it would. [Opening stand] We always gives ourselves a couple of overs to see what the pitch is doing, then try to assess what are the shots we can play, what rate we need to go at. When we've got off to a start like that and have ten wickets in hand, then we decide we have to go after the bowlers. We see what works best for us, we want to take chances in the middle if we have wickets in hand - we have power in the middle order, some exciting home players. For us as openers we give ourselves a couple of overs to see what shots we can play and then accelerate and set up a good foundation. [Partnership success] We both enjoy batting with each other, always admired Rohit. Showed the world he's a class batsman. We try to take the pressure off each other, and we've found a way to get runs together at the top of the order."
hooned high over the leg side! Length ball, angling in from round the wicket, Pant goes down on one knee and thrashes a towering hit just beyond the rope at deep midwicket
Jimmy Neesham on, late in the game for NZ. India just need a handful of runs
finds the outside edge but it flies wide of Seifert! All of a sudden NZ's quicks are getting the ball to talk, scrambled seam and it prances like a pony in the channel outside off, clatters the shoulder of the bat but runs away for four
pitched up and skimmed to fine leg for a leg bye
another dot, 138kph and jumping at Pant, deflected leg side where Boult races across to retrieve
oof, he's taken a whack on the fingers this time. Another delivery just back of a length and it kicks up above the shoulder of the bat as he tries to get forward
short of a length and Pant swings at it... NZ go up for caught behind, opting to review the not-out decision. He was a little tucked up attempting to pull off the front foot, but looks like it just brushed the thigh pad. They'll check for the lbw, too, but clearly going over
pitched up and clipped to long-on
Out comes Rishabh Pant, India needing 17 from 24 balls
now Suryakumar drags on...! India aren't going to make a meal of finishing the game off again, are they? Scrambled seam in the channel and SKY throws the hands, gets a thick inside-edge into his timbers. Southee and NZ have a third
pitched up, slower delivery on fourth stump, pushed down the ground
flicked off the stumps down to fine leg
Rohit visibly chastises himself as he turns to go... out comes SKY at No.4
oh, he's offered a gift to his opposite number... Another cutter from Southee, 121kph, and Rohit ends up dinking it to cover. Through the shot early and Guptill won't take many easier catches
length ball outside off, 128kph and punched through cover point
pitched up, deflects off the pads via some inside edge
carted into the crowd at fine leg! Rohit has motored to a half-century from 35 balls, despite a slow start... dug in short by Milne but it doesn't trouble such a consummate puller of the ball, Rohit swings from low to high and sends it soaring for six
length ball, 134kph and he works it past midwicket, there was a moment of hesitation from both batters but always a single there as mid-on scurried across
bangs this in back of a length, skidding on and he takes it on the body looking to turn to leg
French cut for four! Slice of fortune for Iyer as he goes hard at a cross-seamer and chops it past his stumps, the ball racing away to fine leg
round the wicket, slammed into the deck at 140kph, tucked to the on side
shortish and angling back in at 138kph, bottom hand comes off the bat in punching square
Milne for his third
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi | |
Toss | India, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2021/22 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | India led the 3-match series 2-0 |
Match number | T20I no. 1440 |
Match days | 19 November 2021 - night (20-over match) |
T20I debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |
Over 18 • IND 155/3
India won by 7 wickets (with 16 balls remaining)