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Phillips hits 82 not out as New Zealand post 225, Samson and Abhishek fire India's reply
India chose to bowl in the first T20I at Hagley Oval and were set 226, then raced to 94 for 1 in six overs behind a 23-ball fifty from Sanju Samson.
Key points
- Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 82 carried New Zealand to 225 for 4.
- Abhishek Sharma hit a six off his first ball for the seventh time in T20Is, a world record.
- India were 94 for 1 after six overs as Samson reached a 23-ball fifty.
Glenn Phillips made an unbeaten 82 to lift New Zealand to 225 for 4 in the first T20I at Hagley Oval on Thursday, but India came out swinging in reply and were 94 for 1 after six overs at about 2:45 pm IST, needing another 132 runs.
Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl on a pitch neither captain fully trusted. “We’ll bowl first. Quick turnaround, got to see how the wicket will play,” Iyer said. His opposite number Mitchell Santner said New Zealand would have bowled too, calling it “a fresh wicket”.
Phillips takes the game away
India’s bowlers, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy all back in the side, could not hold New Zealand in the second half of the innings. Phillips led the charge and was still there at the end as the hosts finished well past 200, setting India a target of 226 at a ground where they had never played a T20I.
A record first ball
The chase started at a sprint. Abhishek Sharma, facing his first ball off the last delivery of Matt Henry’s opening over, drove it over cover for six. It was the seventh time he has hit the first ball of an innings for six in T20Is, more than anyone else in the format.
Abhishek fell for 29, with Michael Bracewell picking up the first wicket, but Sanju Samson kept the pace up and reached his half-century off 23 balls inside the powerplay.
What comes next
India, the T20 world champions, beat New Zealand by 96 runs in the World Cup final in March and start this five-match series as favourites. The result of the opener is due within the next hour.