1st T20I: NZ compile 176/6 against India; Conway, Mitchell shine
New Zealand racked up 176/6 against India in the 1st T20I at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. Devon Conway (52) was the lone warrior for NZ in the innings' first half before Daryl Mitchell (59*) added the finishing touch. The latter smashed three sixes and a four off Arshdeep Singh in the final over. Spinner Washington Sundar took two wickets for India.
NZ were 47/2 after six overs
New Zealand were off to a flier after Indian captain Hardik Pandya elected to field. Openers Conway and Allen accumulated 12 runs in the first over itself. NZ were cruising at 37/0 before Sundar removed both Allen and Mark Chapman in the same over. India managed to keep NZ quiet thereafter. NZ were 47/2 after six overs.
What happened in the middle overs?
Conway and Phillips added 60 runs for the third wicket after Allen and Chapman departed. The duo took the Black Caps past 100 in the 13th over. However, Kuldeep Yadav got rid of Phillips on the fifth delivery of that over. Mitchell then belted two boundaries off Shivam Mavi in the very next over. Kuldeep conceded just two runs in the 15th over.
Conway slams a quickfire half-century
Conway kept New Zealand afloat despite losing batting partners. He completed his half-century off 31 balls in the 16th over (bowled by Sundar). Conway now has nine fifties in the format. He also raced to 1,200 T20I runs in what was his 36th appearance. Conway slammed his second T20I half-century against India. Notably, it was his maiden T20I inning in India.
Second-best batting average in T20Is
Conway now has the second-best batting average in T20I cricket (48.88). The New Zealand opener is only behind India's Virat Kohli, the only man to average over 50 (52.73) in the shortest format. Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan follows Conway in this regard (48.79).
India use seven bowlers
Sundar was the pick of India's bowlers in the match. He took two wickets for 22 runs in four overs. The right-arm spinner took a brilliant catch off his bowling to dismiss Chapman. Meanwhile, Kuldeep, Arshdeep Singh, and Mavi picked a wicket each. Notably, India used as many as seven bowlers, including Pandya, Deepak Hooda, and Umran Malik.
Mitchell emerges as the aggressor
While Conway set the tone for New Zealand's innings, Mitchell finished well. The latter slammed a 26-ball fifty, his fourth in T20Is, in the final over. He smashed three consecutive sixes in that over, with the first one coming on a free hit. Mitchell helped New Zealand accumulate 27 runs in the 20th over. He smashed a 30-ball 59* (3 fours, 5 sixes).
