‘Arshdeep single-handedly won it’ – Fans rip apart team India as they suffer 21-run loss to New Zealand in 1st T20I

India and New Zealand faced off in the first T20I of the three-match series in JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi on Friday. And it was New Zealand who won the match by 21 runs, courtesy of a supreme bowling effort by the Kiwi spinners. It was India captain Hardik Pandya who won the toss and put New Zealand to bat first on a surface that offered a lot of spin with dew playing a factor.

New Zealand opening batter Finn Allen provided a good start with a knock of 35 off 23 before perishing in the fifth over. It was his opening partner Devon Conway who then picked it up with a well-made 52 off 35, carrying on with his supreme form with the bat across formats.

Indian spinners stopped the Kiwi charge with a few wickets, especially Washington Sundar with two key wickets of Allen and Mark Chapman. Later on, in the death overs, it was Daryl Mitchell who completely took it away from the Indian bowlers with a blistering knock of an unbeaten 59 off 30.

Sundar’s all-round show goes in vain

After Sundar, the pick of the Indian bowlers was Kuldeep Yadav, who finished with 1 for 20 in four overs. New Zealand finished with a competitive total of 176 for the loss of 6 wickets. India needed a good start with a challenging target in hand. However, the Indian top-order collapsed at the very beginning of the innings with openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan departing for 7 and 4 respectively; and no. 3 batter Rahul Tripathi departing for a six-ball duck added to the misery.

Once the top three batters were back in the pavilion, India were on the back foot throughout the innings. Although Suryakumar Yadav tried to pull the strings with a gritty 47 off 34, it was not enough for the Men in Blue to have any grasp on the game. Towards the end of the game, Sundar, the star with the ball, also contributed with the bat with an explosive 50 off 28, but it all came in vain.

Here is how the fans reacted to New Zealand’s win in the first T20I: