Wellington : After Indian women team suffered a great loss against New Zealand, their male counterparts also succumbed under pressure on Wednesday, losing out to the Kiwis by 80 runs at Westpac Stadium, here.
With this win, the Black Caps took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The home team was earlier routed 4-1 in the five-match One Day International series.
Chasing a score of 219 runs, Tim Southee gave the home team an early breakthrough as Lockie Ferguson took an impressive diving catch as Indian skipper exited on a single digit. It was a big wicket for the Kiwis.
MS Dhoni top-scored for India with 39 runs off 31 balls, while Shikhar Dhawan (29) and Vijay Shankar (27) played some shots, but eventually failed to convert it into a big score.
A fiery yorker from Lockie Ferguson claimed a big wicket, helping New Zealand to get rid of Indian openers early. India lost Dhawan after crossing the fifty-mark.
Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar all were sent to pavilion on a single digit score. Like women's cricket team, middle order of the men's team too collapsed.
Tim Southee claimed three wickets as New Zealand bowled out India for 139 in 19.2 overs. Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bat. Rishabh Pant and Krunal Pandya, who missed the ODI series, were back in the T20 International team.
Kiwis wicket keeper Tim Seifert scored 84 runs, as New Zealand posted 219 for six wickets to chase. Later, Khaleel Ahmed sent Tim Seifert to pavilion. It was a big wicket for young Khaleel. He bowled a perfect yorker to dismantle the stumps and disrupted New Zealand's momentum Skipper Kane Williamson (34) struck a couple of sixes and took Kiwis to 100.
Williamson's journey came to an end, when Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed him. He departed for 34, leaving New Zealand on 164/4 in 15.1 overs.
Colin Munro too scored 34 runs, while the other batsmen didn't even touch the 30 mark. Hardik Pandya took two wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Krunal Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal took took one wicket each. (UNI)
