New Zealand, for the second time in two matches in the ongoing T2oI series, choked in a run chase and dragged the game into the Super Over, where the Indians had the better of them. In Hamilton they had to get two runs in the last four balls (in the main game) and here in Wellington, they needed 11 of 12 with two set batsmen at the crease and five other to follow. Yet the Kiwis could not finish the game as India registered its second consecutive Super Over victory to take a 4-0 lead in the five match series on Friday (January 31) in New Zealand’s capital city.
Coming into this fourth T20I at the Sky Stadium (famously named as Westpack stadium) in Wellington, the hosts had a record to defend. In T20Is they were unbeaten at this venue in their last six encounters and while chasing a modest 166 on flat batting track when the likes of Colin Munro and Tim Seifert were hitting the Indian bowlers all-round the park, it seemed the seventh one was well on the course.
However, things turned in India’s favour in the 12 over thanks to a moment of brilliance on the field by skipper Virat Kohli, who ran Munro out with a direct hit. In the next over Yuzvendra Chahal bowled Tom Bruce round his leg. But Seifert ensured New Zealand did not lose steam, and took over from where Munro left.
Nevertheless, India’s fielding lapses did help Seifert to build his innings further. In the 15th over, the visiting side put him down twice in two balls off Chahal. First Navdeep Saini guided the ball over the rope running in from long on and next ball, Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled superbly in the initial overs, grassed a reverse sweep at short third man.
He along with experienced Ross Taylor then took control of the situation and kept the New Zealand ship on the course. Then it all came down to the last over, in which they needed to score just seven runs of Shardul Thakur to register their maiden win in the series.
Taylor perished first while going for the glory shot, lofting the ball in the on side where Shreyas Iyer held a high-pressure skier. Then Daryl Mitchell lofted the second delivery over mid-off for a boundary as the equation had come down to 3 off 4. But Seifert run-out in the next ball once again swung the pendulum in India’s favour. A single off the fifth ball left New Zealand needing two to get from the final delivery. Unfortunately for them Mitchell Santner could pick up just a single to sweeper cover to allow the game to the Super Over, in which they picked 13 off Bumrah but stand-in skipper Tim Southee could not defend it as Kohli finished the game with a boundary in the fifth delivery.
Earlier, put into bat India batting showed some signs of complacency. Sanju Samson, who was picked in the team resting Rohit Sharma, opened the batting alongside KL Rahul but could not utilise his opportunity. Kohli too departed early soon after hitting Hamish Bennett for back-to-back boundaries. Trying to work the ball on the onside, the Indian captain offered a leading edge to Santner, who took an excellent diving catch.
After the end of powerplay, the spinners tied the Indians down. Ish Sodhi dismissed a scratchy-looking Iyer out caught behind and the got the scalp of Rahul, who didn’t get the timing right behind his pull and found the deep mid-wicket fielder Santner, who took his third catch. Shivam Dube walked ahead of Manish Pandey, and when he struck back to back boundaries off Kuggeleijn, the call seemed a sensible one. But once again, a poor shot selection led to an Indian batsman’s demise. Dube mistimed a slog sweep and holed out to Tom Bruce at long on even with a slight collision.
Soon Washington Sundar was knocked over by Santner and India were tottering at 88 for 6. From there Pandey along with Thakur started the fightback. The duo added crucial 43 off 29 followed by a few useful hits to the fence by Navdeep Saini, which helped the visitors to get a respectable total on the board. Pandey remained unbeaten at 50.
The final game of the series will be played at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Sunday (February 2).
Brief Scores:
India 165/8 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 50*, KL Rahul 39; Ish Sodhi 3-26) tied with New Zealand 165/8 in 20 overs (Colin Munro 64, Tim Seifert 57; Shardul Thakur 2-33), Jasprit Bumrah 1-20). India chased down 14 to win the Super Over.
Player of the match: Shardul Thakur