India beat New Zealand 73 runs in the third T20 international to complete a 3-0 series sweep; Rohit Sharma hits 56 of 31 balls in 184-7 for the hosts in Kolkata; spinner Axar Patel takes 3-9 when Black Caps plummet to 111 in response
Rohit Sharma led from the front with his 26th half century in T20 internationals
Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel starred as India completed a 73-run sweeping victory over New Zealand in Kolkata to secure a 3-0 series victory.
The victory was India’s biggest win over New Zealand in T20Is, as they dominated early on against the T20 World Cup finalists with skipper Rohit (56 of 31 balls) and Ishan Kishan (29 of 21) taking 69 runs from the opening powerplay to set the tone. .
While the grounds fell at regular intervals for the rest of the innings, the platform was such that a final over blitz by Deepak Chahar (21st of eight) led India to a 184-7 lead.
New Zealand’s chase failed early and often when Axar (3-9) claimed three wickets in the first five overs and despite Martin Guptill (51 of 36) did his best to return the Black Caps to contention , he holed himself shortly after reaching his fifties. The tourists collapsed after his dismissal when they were eliminated by 111 in the 18th final.
The focus now shifts to the longer format with the sides starting a two-match test series in Kanpur on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Having won the toss and opted to hit, India made a great start with Rohit surviving an lbw yell from Trent Boult on the first ball before quickly beginning to dismantle the Kiwi locks, with Lockie Ferguson coming in for a particular punishment at the final over of the powerplay.
Kishan had contributed six limits before falling to Mitchell Santner (3-27) in the seventh over, and the left arm spinner knocked out Suryakumar Yadav (0) four balls later and Rishabh Pant (4) in his next over.
Rohit continued to reach his 26th T20I half a century from the 27th before falling to a superb one-handed reception from Ish Sodhi (1-31).
Shreyas Iyer (25 of 20) and Venkatesh Iyer (20 of 15) got things back on track for the next overs and after a group of wickets at the end, Chahar finished the innings with a bang, taking 19 of the last set of six of Ferguson. .
New Zealand initially seemed lucky with them at the beginning of their response when Guptill, having hit the previous two balls for a six and a four, skipped a bumper from Chahar, only for the bowler to miss the opportunity when the ball fell. over his shoulder.
However, that good fortune didn’t last long, as Axar had Daryl Mitchell (5) catch the next ball and added Mark Chapman’s wicket (0), perplexed, with the last ball of the over.
The left arm spinner threw Glenn Phillips (0) on the reverse sweep on his next over to leave New Zealand 30-3 and as Guptill scored the following overs with the occasional four or six, the race pace continued to pick up and India he remained firmly in control.
Guptill was caught long in the eleventh second, trying to pump Yuzvendra Chahal (1-26) for another high, and from there New Zealand collapsed.
Tim Seifert and Santner ran on either side of Jimmy Neesham being caught superbly behind by Pant, and Ferguson (14 of eight) was the last man out, Chahar this time pulling a ski catch from his own bowling alley.
Watch the first test between India and New Zealand starting at 3am on Thursday at Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event.
