Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced a 15-member West Indies Women squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa starting on February 11.
The squad sees the inclusion of three West Indies Under 19 Rising Stars players who recently competed in the first ever ICC Women’s U19 World Cup. They are Zaida James, Trishan Holder and Djenaba Joseph.
Shemaine Campbelle, the wicketkeeper/batter has been named as vice-captain. Experienced all-rounder Stafanie Taylor has been named in the squad subject to a final fitness assessment.
“The selectors have opted for a blend of youth and experience for the upcoming T20 World Cup,” said Chief Selector Ann Browne-John.
“Four senior players who have been out through injury have returned – Stafanie Taylor, Shakera Selman, Chinelle Henry and Chedean Nation.
“We continue the developmental pathway to grow women’s cricket in the region, hence we feel the time is right to include three of the Under 19 Rising Stars in the squad.”
Browne-John added that James, Joseph and Holder have been making great progress.
“Zaida brings both left-hand batting and left-arm orthodox bowling, both of which the team has been missing in recent time,” Browne-John said.
“Djenaba is a batting all-rounder and Trishan, a powerful striker and wicketkeeping option. They have all proven that they can hold their own at this level. We believe the 15 players consist of a good all-round mix and we expect them to be able to compete in this World Cup.”
The West Indies squad features six players, Hayley Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle, Stafanie Taylor, Shamilia Connell, Shakera Selman and Afy Fletcher who became World Champions in 2016.
West Indies have been drawn in Group 2 alongside England, India, Pakistan and Ireland and will travel to Cape Town on Friday, February 3, ahead of the start of the tournament, which will begin on Friday, February 10, with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka.
Newlands, Cape Town; Boland Park, Paarl and St. George’s Park, Gqeberha are the host venues for the tournament with both Semi-Finals and the Final being played in Cape Town on February 26.
FULL SQUAD: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Shemaine Campbelle (Vice Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor and Rashada Williams.
T20 World Cup Match schedule
Monday, 13 February: West Indies vs England, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
Wednesday, 15 February: West Indies vs India, Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
Friday, 17 February: West Indies vs Ireland, Newlands, Cape Town,7pm (1pm Eastern Caribbean/12noon Jamaica)
Sunday, 19 February: West Indies vs Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
A devastating performance with bat and ball saw India seal a sensational series comeback with a record 168-run victory in their third and final T20I with New Zealand.
Shubman Gill's 126 not out powered the hosts to a freewheeling 234-4 in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, before they tore through their visitors at the crease for an emphatic win.
It is the biggest margin of victory India have ever recorded in the format, and marked something of an anticlimactic end to an otherwise close-fought series.
They are unlikely to care given the nature of their euphoric blowout, though the Black Caps will be concerned after failing to reach three figures in back-to-back games.
There were few signs at first glance Gill would turn in the sort of pyrotechnic performance that saw him star in the pair's ODI series last month.
After losing opening partner Ishan Kishan for just one, however, the opener carried the bat in a gangbuster turn, with a dozen fours and seven sixes off 63 balls.
Able support from Rahul Tripathi (44) and Hardik Pandya (30) helped him motor India to their fifth-best score in T20I history, and their highest against New Zealand.
Hopes of mounting any serious pursuit felt slim for the Black Caps even before they crumpled, with Pandya (4-16) and Arshdeep Singh (2-16) combining for a brutal opening three overs to reduce them to 7-4.
Daryl Mitchell (35) stubbornly held his ground as a succession of partners came and went, helping to drag New Zealand from 21-5 to 53-6.
But further work from Shivam Mavi and Umran Malik curtailed any resistance as the tourists were bowled all out for 66.
Gill maintains 2023 hot streak
After matching the world record for the most runs in a three-game ODI series last month against New Zealand, the batter turned on the power again when it mattered.
A quiet few matches, with scores of just seven and 11, are faded memories now after his supremely assured performance this week.
Black Caps continue to stutter
After failing to hit the 100 mark last time out, a second successive game where they petered out in double figures is a major concern for New Zealand.
Their score of 66 is the third-lowest they have recorded in T20I history, behind the twin totals of 60 they posted against Sri Lanka in 2014 and Bangladesh in 2021.
Australia batter Usman Khawaja is stranded in Sydney awaiting visa approval to join his team-mates for their Test tour in India this month.
The top-order batter was due to fly out with the rest of the squad across Tuesday and Wednesday amid a series of staggered flights.
But Khawaja remains in New South Wales amid issues with his visa in relation to his roots in Pakistan, the country of his birth.
The 36-year-old was born in Islamabad, and has had prior issues in attempting to enter India to play cricket.
In 2011, he was blocked from securing a visa for the T20 Champions League for New South Wales before the Indian high commission intervened.
Khawaja took to social media to poke fun at his situation shortly after his team-mates departed for India, where Australia are due to contest the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
He has played multiple times in the country in the past, including with IPL outfit Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016, and scored two centuries during an ODI tour in 2019.
Khawaja enjoyed a remarkable 2022, earning a recall to the red-ball squad where he top-scored with 496 runs during their first tour of Pakistan since 1998.
He was named in the ICC Test Team of the Year alongside team-mates Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Nathan Lyon, as part of a leading four selections.
Australia begin their four-match Test series on February 9 at Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, with games in Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad to follow.
South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was not considered for selection for the Proteas' final ODI against England on Wednesday following an injury to his right thumb.
De Kock suffered the injury in the 2nd ODI on Sunday while attempting to catch a ball off of an edge from England batsman Harry Brook.
The Proteas' wicketkeeper was cleared to bat in the second innings after a scan revealed no fracture and made 31 as a superb Temba Bavuma century saw his side chase down 342 to win by five wickets.
However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided De Kock will not be risked in the third ODI with Heinrich Klaasen his replacement.
South Africa are aiming for a series sweep after winning the first two matches in Bloemfontein and made three changes for the final ODI, with Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj also missing out.
Should they win the final game today, South Africa would boost their chances of automatically qualifying for the World Cup in India later this year with a defeat meaning they may have to go through the qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
Tevyn Walcott scored an unbeaten 87 while Bryan Charles and Terrance Hinds took four wickets each as the Windward Islands Volcanoes and the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force played out an even first day of the opening CWI 2023 West Indies Championship fixture at the St. George’s Stadium in Grenada.
The Red Force won the toss and chose to bowl first on a sunny first day. Their decision was rewarded early as Terrance Hinds removed former West Indies Under-19 Captain Kimani Melius for just four in the third over.
Hinds got his second victim just two overs later, removing Kavem Hodge caught behind for a duck.
Captain Alick Athanaze then joined Jerlani Robinson at the crease and the pair put on 28 runs before Robinson was dismissed by Tion Webster for a patient 14 off 40 balls.
This brought the experienced Sunil Ambris to the crease and he and Athanaze put on 54 for the fourth wicket before Athanaze was dismissed just after lunch for 40.
Barbadian all-rounder Justin Greaves was next in but went quickly for five to leave the Volcanoes reeling at 113-5, bringing Walcott to the middle to join Ambris.
Ambris, who has played six Tests and 16 ODIs for the West Indies, reached 55, his 15th First-class fifty, before falling at the hands of Hinds to leave the Windwards 130-6.
Walcott and Ryan John then combined to fight off the Red Force bowling, putting on 98 for the seventh wicket before their resistance was ended when John was dismissed caught behind off the bowling of Bryan Charles for 36.
The score quickly became 229-8 when Charles dismissed Kenneth Dember for a duck, taking his 100th First-class wicket.
Walcott provided some late hitting before Preston McSween and Darius Martin were both dismissed without troubling the scorers.
In the end, the Volcanoes were bowled out for 243 with Walcott finishing not out on 87, his third first-class fifty and highest score.
Bryan Charles led the way with the ball, taking 4-46 from 17.1 overs while Terrance Hinds took 4-72 off 13 overs.
With Red Force debutant Vikash Mohan unable to open due to injury, Khary Pierre joined regular opener Jeremy Solozano at the top of the order.
The move didn’t work as pacer Darius Martin dismissed Pierre for a duck in the second over.
Captain Darren Bravo and Solozano ensured that the Red Force went into the end of the day with no further wickets lost, ending 50-1 off 21 overs, trailing by 193 runs.
Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes: 243 all out in 63.1 overs (Tevyn Walcott 87*, Sunil Ambris 55, Terrance Hinds 4-72, Bryan Charles 4-46) Trinidad & Tobago Red Force: 50-1 (Darren Bravo 32*, Jeremy Solozano 18*)
West Indian batsman Johnson Charles produced a magnificent 107 not out to lead the Comilla Victorians to a seven-wicket win over the Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
The Tigers took first strike after the Victorians won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that looked like the right one when Mahmudul Hasan Joy was dismissed by Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah in the third over with the score on 13.
That wicket brought Tigers skipper Shai Hope to the crease alongside Tamim Iqbal and the pair put on a T20 batting masterclass, blasting the Comilla bowling all over the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
A 184-run second wicket partnership between them helped the Tigers reach 197 after 19 overs before Iqbal was finally dismissed five runs short of a magnificent hundred. Iqbal hit 11 fours and four sixes in 61 deliveries.
In the end, Khulna ended their 20 overs on 210-2 with Hope ending not out on 91. His knock came off just 55 balls and included five fours and seven sixes.
The Victorians reply got off to the worst possible start when top batsman Litton Das was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the wrist with the second ball of the innings.
This brought Captain Imrul Kayes to the wicket and he and Mohammad Rizwan put on 22 before Kayes was dismissed for five in the third over.
Rizwan was then joined at the crease by Charles and the two put on a display like that of Hope and Iqbal in the Tigers’ innings.
The pair put on what turned into a match-winning 122-run partnership before Rizwan was dismissed for a 39-ball 73 in the 14th over.
Charles continued on his merry way and brought up a magnificent hundred with a six over cover in the 18th over. His knock came off 53 balls and included five fours and 10 sixes.
He closed proceedings with a six in the 19th over to help the Victorians complete the highest chase in BPL history.
The Victorians now have 12 points from nine games and have secured their spot in the playoffs with a game to spare.
Scores: Khulna Tigers 210-2 in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 95, Shai Hope 91*) Comilla Victorians 213-3 in 18.2 overs (Johnson Charles 107*, Mohammad Rizwan 73).
Steve Smith has backed Australia's call to skip a warm-up game ahead of their Test series in India, suggesting any match would offer insufficient preparation.
The tourists will play four matches starting in Nagpur next month, with games in Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad to follow.
But Pat Cummins' side will not play a tour game ahead of their red-ball series against their hosts, after their experiences on their last long-format visit six years ago.
On that occasion, Australia played out a draw with an India A side, but Smith feels the pitch they played on in Mumbai was too different to the rest of the tour.
"We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don't have a tour game in India," he said in Sydney.
"The last time we went [to India], I'm pretty sure we got served up a green top [in the tour game], and it was sort of irrelevant.
"Hopefully, we get really good training facilities where the ball is likely to do what it's likely to do out in the middle, and we can get our practice in."
Australia are in pursuit of a first Test series win in India since 2004, having lost 2-1 in 2017 despite Smith posting 499 runs as top scorer.
Fresh from claiming a joint-record fourth Allan Border Medal, the former captain.hopes they can vindicate their decision to eschew a competitive warm-up.
"We'll wait and see when we hit the ground," he added. "I think we've made the right decision to not play a tour match.
"We're better off having our own nets and getting spinners in and bowling as much as they can."
West Indies closed day three of their tour match against Zimbabwe XI in Bulawayo on 82-2, a lead of 477 as they continue to prepare for their upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe.
Resuming from their overnight score of 52-5, in reply to the West Indies' mammoth first innings total of 517, Zimbabwe XI were bowled out for 122.
Timycen Maruma, who was on 15 overnight was eventually dismissed by Motie for 37 while Milton Shumba, who was on nine added only four before he was bowled by Gabriel for 13.
Tafadzwa Tsiga scored an unbeaten 21 and number-11 batter Faraz Akram added 19 managing to get the score past 100 after Zimbabwe XI had slumped to 87-9.
Joseph took 2-12, while Motie returned figures of 2-24. Gabriel, who is returning from an extended break because of injury, finished with 2-21.
Choosing not to enforce a follow-on, West Indies opened with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Raymon Reifer, in an apparent bid to provide time in the middle for other batters in the squad. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite scored an unbeaten 116 in the West Indies first innings.
However, Reifer failed to take advantage of the opportunity when he got out caught behind off Akram's bowling for one having faced four balls.
Nkrumah Bonner’s poor run of form continued when he was dismissed caught behind off the bowling of William Mashinge for a mere 13.
Chanderpaul, who made 46 in the West Indies first innings, retired not out on 23. Meanwhile, Jermaine Blackwood, who only managed 17 in the West Indies first innings was unbeaten on 34 with Jason Holder not out on two at the other end as the match approaches its fourth and final day.
Akram has 1-4 from his four overs while Mashinge has so far taken 1-6 from the three overs he bowled.
West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva says he is thankful for the opportunity to spend some time in the middle ahead of the side’s two Test matches against Zimbabwe beginning on February 4.
Da Silva made a well-compiled 100 off 149 balls as the Windies scored a massive 517 in their first innings of a tour match against a Zimbabwe XI in Bulawayo. The match was declared a draw on Monday after the West Indies reached 82-2 in their second innings after dismissing the hosts for 122.
“It’s always good when you get to spend some time in the middle in a practice game. I had fun out there,” the 24-year-old Trinidadian said.
“It is a decent pitch. Some balls are staying a bit low but I think the boys have really applied themselves and made the most of the opportunity to get into the middle. The goal set out by Kraigg (Brathwaite) was to bat a day and a half and we did that. Kraigg gave us a target of 450 an hour after lunch on the second day and we got that as well. We ticked all the boxes and, hopefully, we can transfer that into the Test series,” Da Silva added.
Brathwaite got a hundred of his own, stroking 116 off 170 deliveries, and Da Silva commented on his skipper’s form heading into the series.
“Everybody’s seen it. We know the kind of form he’s in and ever since he’s gotten the captaincy his form has taken an uphill climb. It’s been a joy to watch for me and I try to take little things from him and add it to my game,” he said.
Da Silva also commended his bowlers, especially Alzarri Joseph, who he said was able to extract some good pace out of a slow wicket.
“I think Alzarri’s pace opening up really surprised them. He was bowling quite fast on the pitch and it’s not a quick pitch by any means. To see him run in, give his full effort and bowl as fast as he could was really good.”
Steve Smith has matched the feats of fellow Australia greats Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke by winning the Allan Border Medal for a record-equalling fourth time.
Smith – who also won the highest individual prize in Australian men's cricket in 2015, 2018 and 2021 – collected 171 votes from players, umpires and media for the 2023 award, comfortably clear of second-placed Travis Head with 144 votes.
Smith made 1,524 runs across all three formats during the voting period – the most by any Australia player, while only Marnus Labuschagne matched his tally of four centuries.
With the criteria for the award being weighted towards those who fare well in the longer formats, Smith's contribution to Australia winning eight of their 10 red-ball matches to rise to the top of the Test rankings went some way to putting him top of the pile.
While Ponting took the prize in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, fellow four-time recipient Clarke triumphed in 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
Meanwhile, David Warner won Cricket Australia's ODI Player of the Year award after finishing third in the voting for the Allan Border Medal, while Marcus Stoinis claimed the equivalent T20I prize.
The men's Test Player of the Year award – named after Shane Warne for the first time following his death last March – was won by Usman Khawaja after he scored 1,020 runs at 78.46 throughout the voting period.
In the women's game, Beth Mooney claimed the Belinda Clark medal for the second time, having featured in Australia's successful 50-over World Cup campaign in New Zealand last year.
The West Indies Women ended the South Africa Women’s Tri-Series without a win after suffering an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of India at Buffalo Park on Monday.
Captain Hayley Matthews made a top-score of 34 while under-19 player Zaida James made 21 not out as the Windies Women were restricted to just 94-6 off their 20 overs after India won the toss and chose to field first.
Off-spinner Deepti Sharma starred with the ball for India with 3-11 from her four overs while medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar took 2-19 from her four overs.
The Indians then needed just 13.5 overs to achieve victory, reaching 95-2 thanks to an unbeaten 53-run partnership between Jemimah Rodrigues (42 not out) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (32 not out).
West Indies Women have now lost 10 T20 Internationals in a row. India will take on South Africa in the Tri-Series final on Thursday.
The Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) Selection Panel has called up four of the West Indies Under 19 Rising Stars players who competed at the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup to the West Indies Women’s team.
All-rounders Zaida James and Djenaba Joseph, wicketkeeper/batter Trishan Holder and fast-bowler Jannillea Glasgow have been selected as injury cover for Monday’s final Tri- Series match against India Women at Buffalo Park in East London.
Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Shakera Selman and Chedean Nation are currently going through a return to play rehabilitation ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
“The selection panel has included four Under 19 players for the final match of the Tri-Series as potential replacements for injured players,” said Chief Selector Ann Browne-John.
“The four have been training with the senior team in South Africa since the conclusion of the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup.
“We believe this is the perfect opportunity to utilize these four players, two of whom (Joseph and Holder) made their international debut against England last year, to reinforce the squad in the absence of injured senior players. They have been playing in South African conditions for the past three weeks so are well prepared. With final selection of the ICC T20 World Cup squad still to be done, it gives the selection panel another opportunity to see the best players available and select the best combination to participate.”
Holder and Joseph made their West Indies senior debuts against England last December, while Glasgow and James were travelling reserves with the senior team last year.
During the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup, James struck two half-centuries and had a four-wicket haul, whilst Joseph struck an unbeaten 44 not out in their Super6s match against England. Holder had a well-compiled 34 not out off 14 balls against Indonesia and Glasgow was the spearhead of the bowling attack.
The West Indies Women play India Women on Monday 30 January in the final preliminary match at 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica time).
Full squad: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shanika Bruce, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow (U19), Sheneta Grimmond, Trishan Holder (U19), Zaida James (U19), Djenaba Joseph (U19), Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz and Rashada Williams.
Match schedule:
16 January: warm-up match vs South Africa XI at Beacon Bay- South Africa won by 4 wickets.
T20I Tri-Series Match Schedule
(all matches to be played at Buffalo Park, East London)
21 January: vs South Africa – South Africa won by 44 runs
23 January: vs India – India won by 56 runs
25 January: vs South Africa – South Africa won by 10 wickets
30 January: vs India, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
2 February: Tri-Series Final, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica
Alzarri Joseph, Shannon Gabriel and Gudakesh Motie each took two wickets for the West Indies who bowled out the Zimbabwe XI for 122 on Monday to establish a lead of 395 runs on first innings in their tour match in Bulawayo.
Batting a second time the West Indies were at the time of writing 18-1, a lead of 413. Raymon Reifer was the batter out for just one.
In response to the West Indies’ first innings score of 517, Zimbabwe XI, resuming from their overnight score of 52-5, added 70 more for the loss of their remaining five wickets.
Timycen Maruma, who was on 15 overnight was eventually dismissed by Motie for 37 while Milton Shumba, who was on nine added only four before he was bowled by Gabriel for 13.
Tafadzwa Tsiga scored an unbeaten 21 and number-11 batter Faraz Akram added 19 managing to get the score past 100 after Zimbabwe XI had slumped to 87-9.
Joseph took 2-12, while Motie returned figures of 2-24. Gabriel, who is returning from an extended break because of injury, finished with 2-21.
The match concludes on Tuesday.
India's stand-in captain Hardik Pandya lamented a "shocker" of a pitch at Ekana Stadium and called for better surfaces after a slender T20I victory over New Zealand.
The hosts edged past the Black Caps with one ball remaining in Lucknow, winning by six wickets in a low-scoring thriller to level the three-match T20I series.
New Zealand only managed 99-8 from their 20-over allocation on a difficult wicket but made India wait until the final over for victory as Suryakumar Yadav saw his side over the line with a vital 26 not out.
Pandya, captaining in the absence of white-ball veteran Rohit Sharma, was alongside Suryakumar at the end unbeaten on 15 but expressed his disappointment with the surface at home.
"I always believed we will finish the game," Pandya said. "It went quite deep, but that is how it is. In these kinds of games, it is important to not panic.
"Rather than taking risks, we rotated the strike. Having said that, this is a shocker of a pitch. We need to make sure we have better pitches. Even 120 would have been a winning total here.
"We kept to our plans, we made sure they did not rotate the strike, and the wickets kept falling. Dew didn't play much of a role because if you see they were able to spin the ball more than us.
"It was a shocker of a wicket. The ball was flying for even the fast bowlers."
The in-form Suryakumar continues to rise his stock within white-ball cricket, though his 31-ball 26 was a far cry from his usual flamboyance and aggressive shot-making.
Having blasted 112 and 51 in his two previous T20I appearances against Sri Lanka earlier in January, Suryakumar acknowledged an alternate approach was required on Sunday.
"A different version of [Suryakumar] today," he said after receiving the Player of the Match award. "Adapting to the situation was very important. After losing [Washington Sundar], I had to make sure I batted until the end.
"[Sundar's run out] was my mistake, I didn't see where the ball went. Of course, it was a challenging wicket, but you have to be able to adapt.
"We just needed one hit in the end, and it was very important to calm ourselves down.
"Before I got the winning runs, Hardik came up to me and told me you will hit the winning runs this ball. That gave me a lot of confidence."
With an ODI series victory already secured, India will look for a white-ball double over New Zealand in Wednesday's T20I decider in Ahmedabad.
India thrillingly came out on top with one ball remaining to level their three-match T20I series with New Zealand after a remarkably tight second match on Sunday.
The hosts won by six wickets at Ekana Stadium but only just managed to reach the low target set by New Zealand during what seemed a poor innings that saw them finish on 99-8.
It was the first time the Black Caps had failed to reach 100 runs in a T20I against India, though it was not as bad as it first seemed on a difficult pitch.
Finn Allen's (11) reverse sweep attempt from Yuzvendra Chahal's (1-4) delivery saw him knock the ball on to himself and then the stumps for India's breakthrough, and Devon Conway (11) soon followed when caught behind by Ishan Kishan off Washington Sundar (1-17).
Glenn Phillips (5) was the third to fall victim to a botched reverse sweep, and Daryl Mitchell (8) also failed to reach double digits, with that pair removed either side of Mark Chapman (14) being run out.
Michael Bracewell (14) and Mitchell Santner (19 not out) formed one of only two stands to yield 20 runs, before New Zealand's innings petered out with only five in the final over.
India's response was not emphatic – they also failed to register a single six.
Shubman Gill (11) gave Allen an easy catch with a top edge off Bracewell (1-13) for an early boost, before Kishan (19) was run out and Rahul Tripathi (13) was caught at deep midwicket.
Suryakumar Yadav (26 not out) – aided ably by captain Hardik Pandya (15 not out) – ultimately dragged India over the line, getting just enough power on the penultimate ball to reach the boundary and take India to 101-4.
Suryakumar decisive when it counts
Having managed at least 47 runs in each of his previous three T20Is, Suryakumar is not used to struggling to amass significant totals.
Much like everyone else on Sunday, he could not quite find momentum with his 26 coming off 31 balls, but the fact he had the nous to be the only batter to break the 20-runs barrier should not be overlooked.
New Zealand bowlers give them a fighting chance
The batsmen should not take too much blame – pretty much all of them from both sides struggled on a wicket that Hardik criticised afterwards – but the Black Caps bowlers had plenty of work to do here.
The wickets did not tumble with quite the same regularity as when they were in bat, but with the ball they ensured the match remained tight – the fact they took it to the final over is commendable in itself.
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