Christchurch, Oct 23:
India began their five-match T20 International series against New Zealand with a thrilling four-wicket victory, chasing down a challenging target of 226 with two balls to spare at Hagley Oval on Thursday. Sanju Samson starred with an explosive half-century, while Naman Dhir held his nerve in the closing stages to give India a 1-0 lead in the series.
Batting first after India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl, New Zealand posted an imposing 225 for four in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips led the home sideās charge with an unbeaten 82 off just 40 deliveries, combining powerful strokeplay with calculated aggression.
Phillips found valuable support from Bevon Jacobs, with the pair adding 73 runs for the fourth wicket. Their partnership helped New Zealand accelerate in the latter stages and put Indiaās bowlers under pressure. Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav and Axar Patel claimed a wicket each, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar went wicketless on his return to international cricket after nearly four years.
India responded aggressively, with Samson and Abhishek Sharma providing a blistering start. The opening pair added 93 runs before Abhishek was dismissed for 29 off 12 balls by Michael Bracewell towards the end of the powerplay.
Samson continued to attack and struck 67 off 33 deliveries, giving India the momentum needed for the demanding chase. His innings combined clean hitting with effective placement and kept the required run rate under control during the opening overs.
However, India suffered a setback when Samson, Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan fell in quick succession. The middle-order wickets briefly threatened to derail the chase, leaving the visitors needing a steady partnership to regain control.
Captain Shreyas Iyer stepped up with a crucial 42 off 28 balls. He helped rebuild the innings and added useful partnerships with Axar Patel, who scored 24, and Naman Dhir. Iyerās contribution proved important in keeping India within reach of the target despite the loss of wickets.
Dhir then took responsibility in the closing overs, managing the pressure and finding the boundaries when required. He sealed the victory with a six off the fourth ball of the final over, taking India to 230 for six in 19.4 overs and completing an impressive chase.
The result gives India an early advantage in the five-match series, which forms part of their preparations for future international assignments. The second T20I will also be played in Christchurch on October 24, before the teams move to Wellington for the third match.