Rohit Sharma blasted two sixes in the final two balls as India won a dramatic super over in Hamilton to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
New Delhi:
A ruthless India are expected to seal their maiden T20 International series win in New Zealand and only a special comeback from the struggling hosts in the third game here on Wednesday can delay what seems inevitable. India won the twin T20 Internationals in Auckland by margins of six and seven wickets respectively to go 2-0 up in the five-match series. A third successive win at Seddon Park will give them their first ever T20I series' win on New Zealand soil, a feat they were unable to achieve on two occasions previously. India lost 0-2 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni back in 2008-09, and last year, they went down 1-2. Overall, this Indian side has seen an uptick in fortunes and are unbeaten in five T20 series since the 2019 ODI World Cup, including the ongoing one against the Black Caps.
Brilliant Rohit Sharma! He has done a double Miandad. He blasts two sixes and India win the Hamilton T20I in a humdinger. India have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. What a match.
Six. Rohit has launched that over deep midwicket and India need four runs off the last ball. Truly, a miracle is on the cards.
Single. Only one run in the fourth ball. India need 10 off 2 balls. Rohit has to invoke Shivnarine Chanderpaul, MS Dhoni and Javed Miandad.
Four runs by KL Rahul as he Southee bowls a low full toss outside off. Superb scoop. India need 11 off 3.
Tim Seifert misses a run-out as Rohit Sharma comes back for a second. This could prove to be crucial. India are 3/0 after two balls.
It looks like Tim Southee will bowl the Super Over. Rohit Sharma to open and mostly, it will be KL Rahul. If a wicket falls, then Virat Kohli will come out. Don't be surprised if Kohli comes out to open with Rohit.
Guptill ends the over in style as he wallops Bumrah to wide long on. New Zealand have scored 17 in the Super Over. India need 18 but if they score 17, then there will be another Super Over.
Brilliance from Williamson continues. He thumps a full ball on the pads to long leg and then lofts him inside out over wide long off for a boundary. After five balls, New Zealand are 13/0.
Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill are coming out to face the Super Over. Jasprit Bumrah is going to bowl the super over for India. Can New Zealand score more than 10 runs?
Oh dear! Oh dear! We have a tie! The match will be decided by Super over. So, Bumrah will have one more shot. What a tragedy for Williamson.
WICKET! Oh dear! What a terrible way to go. Williamson looks to steer a short ball from Shami but he gets an edge and he falls for 95. Ends a world-class knock from a brilliant player. New Zealand are 178/5 after 19.3 overs, need 2 off 3 balls.
Williamson glances a four to fine leg and Ross Taylor moves to the off side and hacks Bumrah for a four to deep midwicket. New Zealand need 9 off the last over. Can India produce a miracle?
Good running between the wickets from Williamson and Taylor as the New Zealand skipper enters the 90s. New Zealand are 160/4 in 18 overs, need 20 off 12 balls.
This is a vintage exhibition of batting from Kane Williamson. Bumrah misses his line and length and Williamson hammers three consecutive fours and New Zealand motor away. India do not help themselves with a misfield. After 17 overs, New Zealand are 151/4, need 29 off 18 balls.
WICKET! India continue to chip away. Full and slow ball outside off, Colin de Grandhomme throws his bat at it and the outside edge goes to short third man. New Zealand are 137/4 after 16 overs, needing 43 off 24 balls.
Brilliance from Kane Williamson. He blasts two sixes off Jadeja, one to long off and one to deep midwicket. New Zealand are 128/3 after 15 overs.
Fifty For The Skipper
Brilliant stuff from Kaner Williamson. He upper-cuts Mohammed Shami for a six and then pulls a slow ball to deep midwicket. New Zealand are 114/3 after 14 overs.
Williamson launches a six off Chahal to deep midwicket and he keeps New Zealand in the hunt. After 13 overs, New Zealand are 100/3.
Mighty close call for Williamson and this could be the game-changer. Lots of time taken and he is given not out. The New Zealand skipper did well to come back to the crease after getting beaten by the turn. New Zealand are 91/3 after 12 overs.
WICKET! While Williamson is going great guns, Santner is cleaned up by a superb ball from Chahal that grips and breaks back in. New Zealand are 88/3 in 10.4 overs.
CATCH DROPPED
Of all people, Ravindra Jadeja has dropped a catch. Santner gets a leading edge that pops up to third man but Jadeja, running back, has spilled the catch. Williamson then steers Bumrah for a boundary and after 10 overs, New Zealand are 79/2.
Another tight over from Jadeja as Rahul fails to collect a quicker ball that bounces over the stumps. New Zealand are 72/2 after nine overs.
Mitchell Santner has earned a promotion and he nearly survives a testing over from Jadeja. Shivam Dube is into the attack and India are on top. Santner gets going with a boundary off the medium-pacer while Williamson launches Dube over deep midwicket for a big six. After eight overs, New Zealand are 67/2.
Jadeja Strikes
WICKET! Jadeja again strikes in his first over. Third consecutive time. Munro leaves the crease too early but Jadeja darts a quick delivery wide outside off and he is stumped. New Zealand are 52/2 after 6.2 overs.
WICKET! That is the big wicket off a nothing ball. Short and wide outside off from Shardul, Guptill throws his hands at it and crunches the square cut, Sanju Samson the substitute runs to his right and takes a low catch. New Zealand are 47/1 in the sixth over.
DROPPED! Guptill looks to steer a legbreak and he gets the outside edge but Kohli at slip drops a very sharp chance. Munro got the over going in style with a sweep to long leg. New Zealand are 43/0 after five overs.
Munro gets a boundary to third man but he ends up copping a blow on his chest. New Zealand have made a decent start as they reach 33/0 after four overs.
Jasprit Bumrah is into the attack now. Guptill gets a steaky edge that sails over third man but the fifth ball, he ramps a short ball for another six. New Zealand are 26/0 after three overs.
Mohammed Shami is into the attack now and this pitch is now difficult to bat on. New Zealand are 13/0 after two overs.
Martin Guptill gets going with a lofted six over long on and Shardul Thakur adjusts by bowling a lot of slower balls. New Zealand are 8/0 after the first over.
Innings End
Brilliant last over for India. Manish Pandey launches Southee for a six and New Zealand do themselves no favours when Santner drops Jadeja at midwicket. Jadeja then slams a flat six and India have finished on 179/5 after 20 overs.
Kohli Gone For 38
WICKET! Pandey smashes a boundary to deep extra cover but New Zealand get the big fish of Kohli. Bennett bowls a short ball outside off and Kohli mauls the lofted drive only to hole out to Southee at extra cover. India are 160/5 after 18.5 overs.
Superb over from Southee. Kohli is struggling to find the boundary. India are 151/4 in 18 overs.
Iyer Falls
Iyer shows his intention as he launches Mitchell Santner over long off for another six. However, in trying to repeat the aggression, he is stumped by Tim Seifert for 17. India are 142/4 after 17 overs.
Sodhi ends a great spell. Concedes just 23 runs in his four overs. India are 131/3 after 16 overs.
Expensive over from Mitchell Santner. Kohli lofts him inside out over wide long off and then thwacks a full toss to the wide long on fence. 13 runs in the over. India are 127/3 after 15 overs.
Kohli glances Sodhi for a boundary to fine leg and that is the first boundary after four overs. India need to get a move on. After 14 overs, India are 114/3.
Another tight over from New Zealand as Colin de Grandhomme bowls in the right areas and lengths. India are 106/3 after 13 overs.
Superb over from Ish Sodhi. Iyer and Kohli are looking to settle in. India are 99/3 after 12 overs.
WICKET! Another one and Bennett comes back strongly. Full ball outside off, Shivam Dube goes for the sliced drive and he holes out to third man. India are 96/3 after 11 overs.
Rohit Misses Ton
WICKET! That is a massive blow for India. Bennett has come back well after that 27-run assault. The knuckle ball from Bennett, bowled full and wide outside off, Rohit is flummoxed by the pace and he ends up mistiming the lofted shot to long on. India are 94/2 after 10.4 overs.
Good pace from Scott Kuggleijn and Shivam Dube, who has earned a promotion again, is struggling with the extra pace. After 10 overs, India are 92/1.
Opening Stand Broken
WICKET! Finally, some respite for New Zealand. Rahul makes room but Colin de Grandhomme follows him with a short ball angled in, Rahul is cramped for the cut but he goes through with the shot but he finds backward point. India are 89/1 after nine overs.
Rohit hoicks a flighted delivery off Santner to deep midwicket but it lands in front of Taylor. India are 82/0 after eight overs.
After five good balls from Sodhi, Rahul ends the over in style as he wallops a full and quick ball straight down the ground for a boundary. After seven overs, India are 77/0.
20th Fifty For Rohit
Rohit Sharma blasts two sixes off Hamish Bennett, one over deep square leg and the other to long off. He continues the aggression by flaying a cut shot to the deep backward point fence and then slicing a full and wide ball to the third man fence. He ends the over with a big six and notches up his 20th fifty in style as 27 runs come in the over. India are 69/0 after six overs.
Scott Kuggleijn troubles Rohit with a legcutter at pace and the batsman luckily gets an edge that goes away to the third man fence. India are 34/0 after four overs.
KL Rahul shows his innovation by ramping Southee over the keeper's head for a boundary and India continue to make good progress. After three overs, India are 26/0.
KL Rahul flays a six off Hamish Bennett over third man while Rohit continues to be aggressive by upper-cutting the bowler to deep point and then smashing him over wide long on for a couple. India are 17/0 after two overs.
Rohit Sharma gets going with a boundary off Tim Southee. Short, wide outside off and Rohit flays the cut to the deep backward point fence. India are 4/0 after the first over.
Here are the playing XIs as we get ready for the action
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul(w), Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand (Playing XI): Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(c), Colin de Grandhomme, Ross Taylor, Tim Seifert(w), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi, Hamish Bennett
New Zealand Win Toss And Bowl
Kane Williamson has won the toss and he will bowl in Hamilton. Scott Kuggleijn replaces Blair Tickner. Virat Kohli says he would have also bowled on this hard deck. India are unchanged.
New Zealand have won seven out of the nine Twenty20 Internationals played at Seddon Park. Will they register a turnaround today or will the Indian juggernaut continue?
The weather in Seddon Park, Hamilton is cloudy but there are no chances of rain. Can India overcome the conditions and register a series win?
A warm welcome to the third Twenty20 International between India and New Zealand from Seddon Park, Hamilton. A win for India will give them history while for the Blackcaps, they will be determined to stay alive in the contest. KL Rahul has been in fine form and will he be the one to give India glory again? They could not do it under MS Dhoni. They could not achieve it under Virat Kohli in 2019. Now, in 2020, in a World T20 year, can Virat Kohli be second time lucky and finally secure a win against the one country where they have never won a Twenty20 International series?
