Today's match can be
summed up as a Kid trying to drive a bicycle without using either of his hands
on a road filled with potholes just to see how fast he can go without using his
hands (remember your childhood days). India was that kid today and that kid
fell on its face hurting itself badly. It was a bad loss. Indian think tank was
trying to manufacture simulated conditions to try and know its bench's real
strength. However, they forgot that today's match is not scientist's laboratory
where experiments are done but it is actual market place where results are
expected.
India did a lot of
experiments today in before and in the match. Infact, India approached this
match as if it is a practice match. Virat and Bumrah already on leave. On top
of it Kuldeep Yadav and Kedar Jadhav not selected for the match. Today's Indian
team already was missing its key players. Further, India did experiments in its
batting and bowling order. In both the experiments, Vijay Shankar was involved.
He did not get to bowl for certain strange reason. Considering the fact that
all the bowlers were taken to the cleaners, he deserved a chance to bowl. In
batting, to everyone's surprise he was promoted in the batting order and walked
in the park on fall of first wicket. Both the experiments failed.
Coming to the match,
New Zealand was a far more professional team today. Rohit won the toss and
decided to Bowl on a pitch which was good to bat on. Except for the first over
where the New Zealand batsman sized up the pitch, the hosts were ruthless and relentless.
Colin Munro is a completely different batsman in T20s. Delhi Capitals owners
would be so happy to see this performance. Kane Williamson was also very
enterprising. Both scored 34 runs. However, star and man of the match was Tim
Seifert. He scored blistering 84 (43) runs hitting 13 boundaries (7 fours and 6
sixes). Hopefully, he continues Brendum McCullum's legacy for New Zealand.
India had not seen much of him before the match. However, now they will for
sure scrutinise his batting closely. Khaleel, who is yet to make his mark on
international arena, was clobbered all over the place by the openers and so was
Hardik Pandya. Both ended up with expensive figures of 1/48 and 2/51 out of
their quota of 4 overs each. To add to it, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was also a pale
shadow of his better version. He also leaked runs and conceded 1/47 out of his
4 overs. Pick of the bowlers were both the spinners who comparatively did
better job with economy rate of less
than 10 runs an over. However, New Zealand did reach to a score of 219 with the
help of cameos from Ross (swatting) Taylor and Kuggelejin.
India had a mountain
to climb from the first ball. Infact, before this match, out of 60 intl. T20
matches only 10 times a team has chased down a score more than 200. The odds
were stacked against India to 1/6 from the beginning. To add to it, Virat was not
in the batting line up. It had to be a Rohit special to take India to the
victory. But that didn't happen. Rohit was caught out on a bouncer of Southee
by Lockie Ferguson on India's score of 18 in 2.2 overs. With that wicket,
India's hopes of chasing this mountain nosedived, if not totally wiped off. As
mentioned earlier, India was in mood to experiment. They sent Vijay Shankar to
have some batting experience under a pressure situation. Dhawan, who did look
in good form, but was got a brute of a delivery from Lockie Ferguson. Vijay
Shankar, Pant, Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya perished trying to up the ante.
By the time Krunal Pandya joined Dhoni, India's chances of winning had
perished. From that position of 77-6 at the end of 11th over, it would have
been difficult for Mr. Gayle as well, even if he was allowed to bat twice.
Eventually, India got all out for 139 in the 20th over. New Zealand won by a
huge margin of 80 runs. This margin in T20 is really a huge margin.
Going forward, if
India does not come out of its laboratory, I don’t see coming matches in this
series to have any different results. All said and done, New Zealand played
excellent cricket and they deserved this win.
Stat of the Day - Out of 60 intl. T20 matches only 10 times a team has chased down a score more than 200.
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