India seize victory as New Zealand wilt under pressure in Super Over finish

Manish Pandey’s 50, New Zealand crumbling under pressure saw India beat the hosts in an exciting Super Over end to the fourth match of the five-match series

ANI News

BANGALORE, First Published Jan 31, 2020, 5:58 PM IST

Wellington: A second successive Super Over in the five-match T20I series resulted in India going 4-0 up against New Zealand as the hosts crumbled again.

India were set a target of 14 runs when New Zealand finished the Super Over having lost 1 wicket. India accomplished the task in five balls, thanks to KL Rahul who smashed a six and a four to make life easier. Though he got out soon after, Virat Kohli finished off the task as quick as he could.

Batting second, the Kiwis were chasing 166. Martin Guptill was the first to fall in the fourth over, to Jasprit Bumrah, for 4 when the team was at 22

Adding 74 runs before the next wicket fell, Colin Munro and Tim Seifert brought some respite in the New Zealand camp, but a run-out ensured India saw the back of Munro (64) in the 12th over.

Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t let Tom Bruce last long or trouble the scorers and the Kiwis were in a spot of bother at 97/3.

But it would be 62 runs before the next wicket could fall as Seifert and Ross Taylor put the Kiwis within close distance of the finish line.

But that’s when it the tide turned. With seven runs required off the final, Taylor (24) was dismissed by Shardul Thakur. KL Rahul ran out Seifert (57)

The Kiwis were still not out of the game with three runs from three balls required for them to win the match.

But the momentum had changed, and the pressure was on. Thakur dismissed Daryl Mitchell (4) and suddenly the hosts needed two runs off the last ball.

The Kiwis managed one run when Mitchell Santner (2) was run out.

Batting first, Manish Pandey's unbeaten knock of 50 runs helped India reach 165/8 in 20 overs.

Sanju Samson fell too soon in the second over the innings, scoring just eight.

Mitchell Santner’s catch ensured a partnership of Rahul and Kohli didn’t last too long as the skipper walked back with a score of 11 to his credit. Shreyas Iyer was sent back soon after with a score of 1 and another short-lived partnership of Rahul and Shivam Dube saw India go from 52/3 to 75/4.

Another catch saw Rahul walk back to the pavilion as India kept losing wickets; Shivam Dube (12) and Washington Sundar (0).

A perplexed India was surprised to see their side at 88/6.

Manish Pandey and Shardul Thakur pulled things back as the duo put on 43 runs for the seventh wicket.

India was at 131/7 after Thakur was dismissed for 20.

Pandey’s 50 (not out) and Navdeep Saini’s 11 (not out) ensured India attained what became an almost defendable total.