Half-centuries from Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell powered New Zealand to a 21-run win over India in a Twenty20 international in Ranchi on Friday, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Put into bat, New Zealand started strongly with a 43-run opening partnership between Finn Allen (35) and Conway (52), before Mitchell’s unbeaten 59 off 30 balls pushed them to a total of 176.
Washington Sundar was the pick of the bowlers for India, picking up two wickets.
The hosts’ chase then got off to a catastrophic start as openers Shubman Gill (7) and Ishan Kishan (4) were dismissed, while Rahul Tripathi was caught behind for a six-ball duck.
Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya provided some resistance with a 68-run stand and Sundar scored a quick-fire half-century, but their efforts went in vain as Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson all picked up two wickets apiece.