Mount Maunganui: India produced a clinical all-round performance to beat New Zealand by 7 runs in the last T20I and clean sweep series 5-0 at the Bay Oval, here on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 164, fifties from Ross Taylor (53 off 47) and Tim Seifert (50 off 30) went in vain as Kiwis finished with 156 for 9 in 20 overs and fell short of the target by 7 runs at the Bay Oval.
After this win, India have now become the 1st-ever team in men’s T20I cricket to clean sweep a 5-match series.
New Zealand now have lost 8 T20Is on the trot with India dominating the shortest format of the game in the ongoing tour.
Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bat first. Stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma played a brilliant knock (60 off 41 balls) before retiring hurt and guided India to 163/3 in the final T20I. (UNI)