India once again held their nerve and clinched the match in a Super Over in Wellington as they took a 4-0 lead in the series against New Zealand (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
New Delhi:
With the series firmly with India, Kohli has indicated that he will be testing the bench strength as India look to continue their winning momentum and gun for an unprecedented 5-0 whitewash which will put them on level terms with New Zealand as far as head-to-head clashes is concerned. For New Zealand, there are still plenty of concerns. The bowling was a let-down in Auckland while their batting failed to get over the line in Hamilton. Barring Williamson, the likes of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro have failed to convert their starts. The bowling has struggled in patches and although they put up a decent show in Hamilton, they would be ruing Tim Southee's continued poor run with the ball in Super Overs as they lost for the fifth time in six tied encounters.
Kohli pulls a short ball to the deep midwicket and he seals the deal with a boundary. India have won the match and have taken a 4-0 lead in the series.
Kohli takes a couple and this is fantastic running. Two runs needed off two balls.
Rahul pulls a short ball to deep midwicket but the catch is taken. India need four runs off three balls with one wicket remaining. Kohli is on strike and Samson hasa come in.
FOUR! Southee bowls a short ball on leg stump and Rahul swivels to pull the ball to long leg. 10/0 after two balls, need four off four balls.
SIX! Rahul has started the things in style. He blasts Southee over deep midwicket for a big six. India need eight runs off five balls.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are opening the batting in the Super Over. Rahul will take strike and Sanju Samson will be the No.3. Maybe, we need not go that far. Southee will bowl. Sixth chance at redemption.
Correction - India need 14 to win and not 13. They did take a run off the last ball. Tim Southee will bowl the Super Over. Again? After all the heartbreak from 2012? Hmm, New Zealand do believe in lot of redemptions.
Some confusion off the last ball. They did not take a run and there was a referral for a catch. It clearly bounced and India need 13 to win the match.
Munro waits for a slower delivery outside off and he slams the cut shot to the deep backward point fence. New Zealand are 12/1 after five balls. A bump ball follows and New Zealand end on 12/1. Target for India is 13
WICKET! Seifert launches a full ball outside off to deep point but Washington Sundar takes the catch. New Zealand are 8/1 after four balls. Ross Taylor has come in and Munro will be on strike.
Another dropped catch! Seifert top-edges the pull shot and KL Rahul runs back and drops another catch. After three balls, New Zealand are 8/0.
Seifert thumps a back of a length ball from Bumrah to the wide long off fence and he gets a boundary. Bumrah struggling with his line surprisingly in the super over. After two balls, New Zealand are 6/0.
Jasprit Bumrah will bowl the Super Over. Tim Seifert and Colin Munro are out in the open. This could be an even tougher for New Zealand. The first ball is dropped by Shreyas Iyer and Tim Seifert takes a couple.
Super Over Again
Unbelievable! This is the second consecutive time that New Zealand have taken the match into the Super Over. This is unbelievably poor from New Zealand. Shardul has emulated Shami. He has defended seven. Shami defended nine. Unbelievable.
Mitchell falls and the choke continues. Full and slow ball outside off, Mitchell miscues the lofted shot and is caught just outside the circle at mid off. Two runs needed off 1 ball. Super Over time again, me feels!
One run by Mitchell Santner. He could have taken the second but he slipped. Mitchell on strike. Two runs needed off two balls.
Tim Seifert has fallen for 56. Once again, he fails to get New Zealand over the line. He is run-out as KL Rahul scores a direct hit. This is really poor from New Zealand. The choke is on. Three runs needed off three balls.
Seifert did not cross and that brings Daryl Mitchell on strike. He is known to be calm under pressure. He delivers as he thumps a lofted shot over wide long off for a boundary. Three runs needed off four balls.
Shardul Thakur will bowl the final over. Can he emulate Shami? Remember, in Hamilton, he had nine runs to defend in the last over. In Wellington, he has seven in the last over. WICKET! Taylor miscues the lofted shot to deep midwicket and New Zealand are 159/4, needing seven off five balls. Once again, we are on for a choke.
Superb over from Navdeep Saini and he concedes just four runs. We are once again going into the final over. Will New Zealand choke again like they did in Hamilton? Or will Wellington be kinder? New Zealand are 159/3 in 19 overs, need seven runs off six balls.
Seifert plays Bumrah late and he cracks the square cut to the square third man fence. Superb batting and Bumrah has bowled out. After 18 overs, New Zealand are 155/3, needing 11 off 12 balls.
Seifert blasts a short ball from Thakur to the deep point fence and he notches up his second fifty. Last year, his 84 had helped New Zealand beat India by 80 runs at the Cake Tin and he he is doing it again. Superb stuff. New Zealand are 145/3 in 16.2 overs, need 21 off 22 balls.
Seifert guides a pacy ball from Jasprit Bumrah to the third man fence and Ross Taylor is also making good progress. After 16 overs, New Zealand are 140/3, need 26 off 24 balls.
Two dropped catches in two balls. Seifert clobbers a slog sweep over deep midwicket but Saini, positioned near the boundary has spilled the catch. Next ball, Seifert mistimes the reverse sweep and Bumrah at short third man drops the catch. This could be costly. New Zealand are 130/3 after 15 overs, needing 36 off 30.
Shivam Dube is bowling a good over but it is spoiled as Seifert clobbers a six over wide long on. After 14 oves, New Zealand are 113/3, needing 53 off 36 balls.
WICKET! Bowled him round the legs. India are fighting back. Chahal floats a flighted delivery on leg stump and Tom Bruce shuffles to the offside to lap sweep the delivery, he misses it and he falls for a two-ball duck. New Zealand are 97/3 after 12.1 overs.
BIG WICKET
WICKET! Brilliant stuff from Kohli. Munro slapped Dube to deep cover. Thakur fields and relays the throw to Kohli at cover, the Indian skipper fires a rocket throw and the direct hit has caught Munro short for 64. Superb work but can New Zealand maintain the momentum. After 11.4 overs, New Zealand are 96/2
Seifert and Munro are finding the boundary on a regular basis. After 11 overs, New Zealand are 92/1 and are coasting.
FIFTY for Munro
Colin Munro launches Washington Sundar down the ground for a boundary and he notches up his 11th fifty. It has been a splendid knock from him. New Zealand are 76/1 after 9.3 overs
Seifert into the action now and he mauls Chahal over deep midwicket for a big six. New Zealand are 68/2 after nine overs.
Washington Sundar is into the attack and he bowls a poor over. Seifert thumps a flighted delivery to deep extra cover while Munro clobbers his third six straight down the ground. After eight overs, New Zealand are 56/1.
Yuzvendra Chahal is into the attack and he bowls a tight over. After seven overs, New Zealand are 43/1.
Munro capitalises in the final over of the powerplay as he smashes a six and two fours off Shardul Thakur as New Zealand end the powerplay on 39/1 after six overs.
Bumrah shows his class and Guptill goes. Short of a length ball that zips through, a bit of extra bounce, Guptill gets a massive top edge that is taken by KL Rahul. New Zealand are 22/1 after 4.2 overs.
Munro wallops a six over deep midwicket off Saini as New Zealand look to make great progress. New Zealand are 21/0 after four overs.
Jasprit Bumrah is into the attack and he finds the length brilliantly. Munro survives a run-out as Thakur misses with the throw at the bowler's end. After three overs, New Zealand are 12/0.
Colin Munro slams a boundary off Navdeep Saini to long off. After two overs, New Zealand are 9/0.
Good over from Shardul Thakur. Swing and bounce as both Colin Munro and Martin Guptill struggle. After one over, New Zealand are 4/0.
3rd Fifty For Pandey
Brilliant stuff from Manish Pandey as he notches up his third fifty in T20I. Superb stuff from the right-hander and India have ended on 165/8. This is a good total on a sluggish pitch.
Two fours by Navdeep Saini off Hamish Bennett and India have crossed 150. Can they go past 160 and possibly try reaching 170? After 19 overs, India are 154/8.
WICKET! Southee strikes. Good length, scrambled delivery outside off, Yuzvendra Chahal pokes his bat at it and the edge is taken by Tim Seifert. India are 143/8 after 17.5 overs
Pandey holds the key now as he wallops a forehanded smash down the ground for a boundary. India are 138/7 after 17 overs.
New Zealand break the partnership. The knuckle ball from Bennett and he bowls it ful outside off, Thakur mistimes the lofted shot and the catch is taken at long on. India are 131/7 in the 17th over.
Good over for India as Southee continues to struggle with his line and length. After 16 overs, India are 125/6.
Shardul Thakur and Manish Pandey are slowly reviving India. Can India get to 150? After 15 overs, India are 112/6.
Santner ends his spell as well as he takes 1/26 from his four overs. Thakur and Manish Pandey need to bat till the end if India are to reach 150. After 14 overs, India are 104/6.
Shardul Thakur gets going with a boundary to deep point and Sodhi ends a brilliant spell of 4-0-26-3. India are 97/6 after 13 overs.
WICKET! Santner gets into the act now and India are in deep trouble. Flatter delivery angled across and it grips the surface, Washington Sundar gets an inside edge back onto the stumps. Sundar out for 0 and India are 88/6 after 11.3 overs.
WICKET! India sink further. Shivam Dube mistimes the slog sweep and there is another collision between Bruce and Daryl Mitchell but the catch is taken. He falls for 12 and India are 84/5 after 10.2 overs.
Oh dear, there is a collision while trying to stop the ball between Kuggleijn and Martin Guptill. Tight over from Santner as India are 83/4 after 10 overs.
WICKET! That is a massive blow for India. Short and slow ball from Sodhi, Rahul lines up the pull shot and then thumps it to deep midwicket where Santner takes the catch. Rahul out for 39, India 75/4 in 8.4 overs
Rahul and Shivam Dube get going with a boundary each off Scott Kuggleijn as India look to make progress. Dube ends the over in style and after eight overs, India are 69/3.
Superb over from Ish Sodhi as only four runs come in the over. India are 55/3 after seven overs.
WICKET! Iyer's struggles end and New Zealand are on top. Flatter ball and outside off, Iyer is cramped for room as the ball bounces a bit more, he gets the edge and Ish Sodhi strikes in his first over. India are 52/3 in the seventh over.
Superb over from Kuggleijn as he concedes just one run in the over. Iyer and Rahul trying to come to terms with the spongy bounce. India are 51/2 after six overs.
Brilliant Catch
What a riposte from Hamish Bennett and Mitchell Santner. After getting hammered for two boundaries, Bennett gets this delivery to stick onto the wicket. Kohli is through the shot and gets a leading edge to mid off but Santner dives full length to his right and plucks a stunning catch. India are 48/2 after 4.3 overs.
Much better over from Southee. He extracts some spongy bounce from the Wellington wicket and both batsmen struggle to get their timing going. It is very windy out there and hitting aerial shots could be risky. India are 40/1 after four overs.
Rahul is in sublime form. He thumps a short ball from Mitchell Santner for a six and then makes room to flay a wide ball to deep cover for a boundary. India are 35/1 after three overs.
Rahul blasts an inside-out lofted six over wide long off and an eventful over ends. After two overs, India are 22/1. Kohli and Rahul have to get going under windy conditions.
Oh dear! SIX and OUT! Just like in Pune, Samson has thrown away his wicket after hitting a six. He flicks Scott Kuggleijn over deep midwicket for a glorious six but then in the quest for aggression, mistimes a lofted shot and then holes out to Mitchell Santner at extra cover. Samson gone for 8, India 14/1 after 1.3 overs.
Slightly indisciplined over from Southee. Rahul and Samson negotiate his swing brilliantly and India are 7/0 after the first over.
Sanju To Open
Sanju Samson will open the batting for India along with KL Rahul. No Rohit Sharma. Navdeep Saini will replace Shami. Washington Sundar replaces Ravindra Jadeja. That is a big boost for Sanju.
NZ Opt To Bowl
New Zealand have chosen to bowl against India at the Cake Tin in Wellington. Kane Williamson is out and Tim Southee will skipper the side. Tom Bruce has replaced Williamson and Daryl Mitchell will replace Colin de Grandhomme.
Big blow for Blackcaps. Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the 4th T20I against India due to a left shoulder injury. Tim Southee will captain the side.
India will be testing their bench strength today which could mean the entry of Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. Shardul Thakur might be rested and it will be interesting to see whether the seniors take a break today.
Fortress Westpac for New Zealand! They have won six consecutive matches at this venue and they have won eight out of 11 matches at this venue. Last year, New Zealand thrashed India by 80 runs and they will be hoping to bounce back in similar fashion today.
A warm welcome to the fourth Twenty20 International between New Zealand and India from the Westpac Stadium in Wellington or aptly Sky Stadium. New Zealand have suffered heartbreak in Hamilton and were totally outplayed in Auckland. They are now back in their favorite venue where they have won eight encounters and have not lost since 2014. It is cloudy but extremely windy in Wellington, as is the case.
