Abhishek’s 84 guides India to 48-run win

Nagpur: Riding on a brutal 35-ball 84 from Abhishek Sharma, India defeated New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20I of the five-match series here on Wednesday.

Apart from Abhishek, Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls), Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 22 balls), Hardik Pandya (25 off 16 balls) also chipped in with useful contributions as India posted a massive 238 for seven after being asked to take first strike.

In reply, NZ managed 190 for 7 in 20 overs with Glenn Phillips making a 40-ball 78 and Mark Chapman scoring a 39.

For India, Varun Chakaravarthy (2/37) and Shivam Dube (2/28) claimed two wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh (1/31), Hardik Pandya (1/20) and Axar Patel (1/42) were also among wickets.

World’s top ranked T20I batter showed no mercy while making the Black Cap fielders look like mere bystanders with eight towering sixes and five fours.

Abhishek’s carefree hitting also helped his skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 22 balls) get some runs although he was far from his best. But the young opener’s attack at all costs gave his skipper a chance to play himself in during a 99-run stand off 47 balls for the third wicket.

Towards the end, Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls) got to play an innings of substance after a long time with India ending their 20 overs in fantastic fashion.

For someone who nowadays can hardly put a foot wrong, it took Abhishek exactly five deliveries to set his eye in against Jacob Duffy (2/27 in 4 overs) before the first of his eight maximums came out of the closet. It was a lofted six into the sight screen.

In between, Sanju Samson (10) and Ishan Kishan (8) wasted opportunities and when Abhishek got his chance next time, there was no looking back.

Abhishek’s USP is his tremendous bat-speed that he generates and New Zealand’s attack didn’t have any bowler of express pace to challenge the Punjab southpaw. The bat comes straight and gives him ample chance to create more scoring zones in-front of the square.

The deliveries from Kristian Clarke and Kyle Jamieson came at an ideal speed of early 130 clicks on a featherbed and balls sailed over the ropes.

Such was his six-hitting prowess that his first three boundaries came off spinner Glenn Phillips’ bowling after he had smashed four maximums.

At the other end, Suryakumar looked scratchy but two shots -- a back-foot punch through covers off Duffy and a whiplashed six off Clarke behind square -- did provide glimpses of a vintage Indian skipper. But in general, he is still far from his best.

A normally consistent Black Caps skipper Mitchell Santner (1/37 in 3 overs) did try to slow things and got some partial success when Suryakumar was holed out at long-on, failing to get required the elevation.

Undeterred, Abhishek carried on with his mayhem although he was out in the very next over when leg-spinner Ish Sodhi just shortened the length of his leg-break a tad bit and Jamieson gobbled it with his giant palms.

Towards the end, Rinku got to face enough deliveries to make an impact as he clobbered Daryl Mitchell’s first and innings’ last over for 21 runs to take the team to an improbable total.

Brief Scores:

India: 238 for 7 in in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 84, Rinku Singh 44 not out; Jacob Duffy 2/27).

New Zealand: 190 for 7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 78; Varun Chakaravarthy 2/37).