New Zealand Vs India, 1st T20, Highlights, Auckland: Shreyas Iyer Leads India To Opening Victory

Shreyas Iyer led India to a six wicket victory against New Zealand in the 1st T20I at Auckland. Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to field first. Martin Guptill (30 off 19) and Colin Munro (59 off 42) gave the Black Caps a good start, followed by Kane Williamson (51 off 26). Then it was Ross Taylor, who added the finishing touch with 54-runs. The hosts set a 204-run target. The visitors had a shaky start, with Rohit Sharma (7 off 6) returning back to the pavilion a little too early. But, KL Rahul (56 off 27) and Virat Kohli (45 off 32) had other plans as they helped India rebuild. Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey wrapped up the match for the away side, with the former slamming an unbeaten 58-run knock. Catch highlights of New Zealand (NZ) vs India (IND) here.

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15:46 hrs IST: SIMPLY BRILLIANT!! PURE BRILLIANCE!!! THERE'S THE SIX FROM IYER AND THE WIN FOR INDIA! He hits Southee over deep midwicket with such power and calmness.

19 overs | IND 204/4, Shreyas Iyer 58 (29), Manish Pandey 14 (12)

India win by six wickets.

15:43 hrs IST: FOUR! THIS IS UNREAL! IYER REACHES HIS HALF CENTURY AND INDIA GET CLOSER! He slams Southee to the fine leg boundary.

18.2 overs | IND 196/4, Shreyas Iyer 51 (26), Manish Pandey 13 (11)

15:42 hrs IST: One run. It was a knuckle ball by Bennett. Iyer doesn't have enough for a boundary.

18 overs | IND 186/4, Shreyas Iyer 41 (24), Manish Pandey 13 (11)

15:35 hrs IST: INCREDIBLE!! SIX!! Its a short ball by Southee. Iyer slams it for a six.

16.2 overs | IND 172/4, Shreyas Iyer 29 (13), Manish Pandey 11 (8)

15:32 hrs IST: One run. Sodhi tosses it, and Pandey hits it to long-on.

16 overs | IND 165/4, Manish Pandey 10 (7), Shreyas Iyer 23 (16)

India require 39 runs from 24 balls.

15:21 hrs IST: OUT!!! Sodhi sends a poor delivery. But Dube tries to go for a six, and is caught on long-on by Southee.

Shivam Dube c Tim Southee b Ish Sodhi 13 (9)

13.2 overs | IND 142/4, Shreyas Iyer 10 (7)

In comes, Manish Pandey.

15:17 hrs IST: SIX!! Dube sends Santner's deliver just over Taylor on the boundary. EXCELLENT!

12.5 overs | Shivam Dube 12 (6), Shreyas Iyer 10 (7)

15:12 hrs IST: OUT!! UNREAL CATCH BY GUPTILL! Kohli tried to flick Tickner over midwicket. But a leg cuter made him confused. Guptill was there with an unreal catch sprinting in off the rope.

Virat Kohli c Martin Guptill b Blair Tickner 45 (32)

11.1 overs | IND 121/3, Shreyas Iyer 2 (3)

In comes, Shivam Dube.

15:04 hrs IST: OUT! Sodhi tosses it outside off. Rahul tries ti lof it but then slices it down to long-off. Southee is there and grabs it.

KL Rahul c Tim Southee b Ish Sodhi 56 (27)

10 overs | IND 115/2, Virat Kohli 42 (28)

In comes, Shreyas Iyer.

14:49 hrs IST: SIX!!! STRAIGHT UP HUNDRED FOR INDIA AND A FIFTY FOR RAHUL! It was a slow ball by Tickner. Rahul flat hits it over long-on for a six.

8.4 overs | IND 105/1, KL Rahul 53 (23), Virat Kohli 38 (24)

14:55 hrs IST: STRAIGHT UP!! AN INCREDIBLE MISS BY SODHI! It was a good delivery by Tickner, Kohli mishit it, and skied it way too high enough to give Sodhi enough time to get underneath it from deep third man.

8.2 overs | IND 94/1, Virat Kohli 35 (22), KL Rahul 47 (22)

14:52 hrs IST: FOUR!! It was short delivery by Santner. Rahul slammed it over the bowler, with Kohli patting him after that.

7.4 overs | IND 84/1, KL Rahul 40 (18), Virat Kohli 34 (17)

14:38 hrs IST: FOUR!! Southee pitched it hard. Rahul got a top edge and sent it to fine leg boundary.

5 overs | IND 57/1, KL Rahul 27 (11), Virat Kohli 20 (13)

India need 147 runs from 15 overs.

14:31 hrs IST: SIX! Kohli sends this over the long-off fence. It was an offcutter by Tickner.

3.1 overs | IND 37/1, Virat Kohli 15 (7), KL Rahul 12 (6)

14:29 hrs IST: One run. Bennett sent a slower delivery, giving Kohli no room, Kohli worked off the back foot through the square-leg region.

3 overs | IND 31/1, Virat Kohli 9 (6), KL Rahul 12 (6)

14:24 hrs IST: OUT!!! Santner finds turn with the new ball and sends Rohit back to the pavilion. Rohit tried to slog it but but mishit it for a catch to backward point.

Rohit Sharma c Ross Taylor b Mitchell Santner 7 (6)

1.4 overs | IND 14/1, KL Rahul 9 (5)

In comes, Virat Kohli.

14:23 hrs IST: SIX!! Santner sends a hard length delivery, which Rohit launches over mid-on.

1.3 overs | IND 14/0, Rohit Sharma 7 (6), KL Rahul 9 (5)

14:19 hrs IST: A swinging length delivery by Southee. Rohit hits it at backward point and takes a single.

0.1 overs | NZ 1/0, Rohit Sharma 1 (1), KL Rahul 0 (0)

14:05 hrs IST: One run. Santner sends Bumrah's delivery to deep fine leg. Good finish by India.

20 overs | NZ 203/5, Mitchell Santner 2 (2), Ross Taylor 54 (27)

TARGET: 204

14:03 hrs IST: Two runs again. It was low fill toss by Bumrah. Taylor sends it to deep midwicket.

19.4 overs | NZ 201/5, Ross Taylor 53 (25), Mitchell Santner 1 (1)

14:02 hrs IST: Two runs and Taylor reaches his first T20I half century in six years. Taylor clears Bumrah's delivery short fine leg.

19.3 overs | NZ 199/5, Ross Taylor 51 (24), Mitchell Santner 1 (1)

13:59 hrs IST: FOUR RUNS! UTTER CHAOS FROM INDIA'S PERSPECTIVE! It was a short ball by Bumrah. Taylor pulled it to deep midwicket. He takes a single, but then Pandey overruns the ball. Jadeja picks it back up and throws it, but it goes wide off Bumrah. New Zealand get overthrows.

19.1 overs | NZ 195/5, Ross Taylor 47 (23), Mitchell Santner 1 (1)

13:56 hrs IST: Good bowling by Shami. He sends it wide off Taylor's reach outside off. Taylor reaches for it but loses his balance. Sends it to cover. One run.

19 overs | NZ 191/5, Ross Taylor 43 (22), Mitchell Santner 1 (1)

13:52 hrs IST: OUT!! Bumrah sends Seifert back to the pavilion. It was a slower delivery, with Seifert trying to send it over extra cover.

Tim Seifert c Shreyas Iyer b Jasprit Bumrah 1 (2)

18 overs | NZ 181/5, Ross Taylor 34 (16)

In comes, Mitchell Santner.

13:46 hrs IST: OUT!! GOOD DELIVERY BY CHAHAL! He sends a wide legbreak. Williamson punches it, bit it hits his top edge, and get caught out.

Kane Williamson c Virat Kohli b Yuzvendra Chahal 51 (26)

17 overs | NZ 178/4, Ross Taylor 32 (13)

In comes, Tim Seifert.

13:42 hrs IST: FOUR! AND THAT'S THE 50 PARTNERSHIP. Chahal sent it into leg stump. Williamson cruised it for a boundary.

16.2 overs | NZ 170/3, Kane Williamson 38 (13), Ross Taylor 32 (13)

13:39 hrs IST: SIXX!! THAT WAS SIMPLY GIGANTIC!!! Taylor drove Shami's delivery straight down the ground.

15.5 overs | NZ 164/3, Ross Taylor 30 (11), Kane Williamson 39 (21)

13:31 hrs IST: SIX!! Chahal was far away from the boundary. Williamson spots it and sends Dube's ball at deep square leg, and over Chahal. Chahal should have been right on the boundary.

13.3 overs | NZ 129/3, Kane Williamson 31 (15), Ross Taylor 3 (3)

13:25 hrs IST: OUT!! Jadeja targets the leg stump and sends a quick ball. De Grandhomme misplaces his shot and it goes straight to Dube.

Colin de Grandhomme c Shivam Dube b Ravindra Jadeja 0 (2)

12.2 overs | NZ 117/3, Kane Williamson 22 (11)

In comes, Ross Taylor.

13:21 hrs IST: OUT!!! This time Thakur grabs Munro's wicket. He sends an offcutter and hits it into the pitch. Munro's shot doesn't have much pace. it goes straight to Chahal at square.

Colin Munro c Yuzvendra Chahal b Shardul Thakur 59 (42)

11.5 overs | NZ 116/2, Kane Williamson 21 (10)

In comes, Colin de Grandhomme

13:20 hrs IST: AGAIN!!! This time Williamson sends Thakur's delivery to the square leg boundary. He just knew what kind of delivery it would be.

11.3 overs | NZ 115/1, Kane Williamson 20 (9), Colin Munro 59 (41)

13:19 hrs IST: WOW!! SIMPLY WOW!! WILLIAMSON SENDS THAKUR FOR A SIX. He made it look so easy, as he slogegd the length ball over midwicket.

11.2 overs | NZ 109/1, Kane Williamson 14 (8), Colin Munro 59 (41)

13:15 hrs IST: FOURR!! AND NEW ZEALAND CROSS 100. It was a googly by Chahal. Munro slog sweeped it wide of Dube at deep square leg.

10.5 overs | NZ 101/1, Colin Munro 57 (39), Kane Williamson 8 (7)

13:12 hrs IST: SIX!! Dube sends a poor delivery, Williamson runs down the track, sends it inside-out over extra-cover for a six.

10 overs | NZ 91/1, Kane Williamson 7 (6), Colin Munro 48 (35)

13:03 hrs IST: OUT!!! AND DUBE GETS GUPTILL! It was a brilliant catch by Sharma at the edge of midwicket boundary. It was a slow delivery, Guptill couldn't get enough pace in his shot and sliced a pull. Rohit went running, got it at midwicket boundary, but then just as he was about to fall beyong the rope, he tossed it back into play and then jumped back to grab it.

Martin Guptill c Rohit Sharma b Shivam Dube 30 (19)

7.5 overs | NZ 80/1, Colin Munro 44 (28)

In comes, Kane Williamson.

12:57 hrs IST: Good bowling by Chahal. No run, as he sends a googly which flicks the thigh pad of Guptill. Only five runs from this over.

7 overs | NZ 73/0, Martin Guptill 29 (17), Colin Munro 38 (25)

12:54 hrs IST: SIX!! THAT WAS SIMPLY MAJESTIC! A length ball by Shami on middle, Guptill makes it look so easy He lofts it over wide long-on for a brilliant six.

6 overs | NZ 68/0, Martin Guptill 28 (15), Colin Munro 34 (21)

12:52 hrs IST: A slow offcutter from Shami. Guptill drills it through midwicket. Two runs for New Zealand. Good running between the wickets.

5.5 overs | NZ 62/0, Martin Guptill 22 (14), Colin Munro 34 (21)

12:47 hrs IST: Two runs. It was a full delivery on the pads by Bumrah. Munro sent it to leg side. Pandey took time and fumbled.

5 overs | NZ 52/0, Colin Munro 33 (19), Martin Guptill 15 (11)

12:42 hrs IST: SIXX! It was a length cross seamer ball. He sends Thakur at the boundary ropes over mid-on.

3.4 overs | NZ 40/0, Colin Munro 24 (14), Martin Guptill 10 (8)

12:39 hrs IST: FOURR!! It was a length ball on leg stump. Munro slammed Thakur down the track at mid-on.

3.3 overs | NZ 34/0, Colin Munro 18 (13), Martin Guptill 10 (8)

12:38 hrs IST: FOUR!! Munro blazes Shami's delivery in front of square. It was a high short ball on off stump. Should have been more higher.

2.4 overs | NZ 25/0, Colin Munro 12 (8), Martin Guptill 10 (8)

12:33 hrs IST: SIX!! Munro slams Thakur's delivery. Thakur gave width, and Munro slammed the slow delivery over mid-off.

2 overs | NZ 19/0, Colin Munro 8 (6), Martin Guptill 10 (6)

12:24 hrs IST: OH! That's a good start! Guptill slams BUmrah for a four! It goes all the way from outside off and over mid-off.

0.2 overs | NZ 4/0, Martin Guptill 4 (2), Colin Munro 0 (0)

12:04 hrs IST: STARTING XIs-

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tim Seifert, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Hamish Bennett

11:53 hrs IST: Virat Kohli wins the toss and opts to field first! He has also revealed that Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav and Navdeep Saini won't be playing.

11:34 hrs IST: India have plenty of ODIs this year, and recently won a 50-over series Vs Australia. Speaking about it, Ravi Shastri said that it will help them prepare for the 2020 T20 World Cup. "The Australia series was proof of the mental strength and the ability to play under pressure. After the hammering at the Wankhede, to come back and play like the way we did, merits a lot of credit and praise," he said.

11:16 hrs IST: NZ captain Kane Williamson has fallen victim to criticism after his side's Boxing Day Test defeat against Australia. New Zealand were drubbed 0-3 in that series. Brendon McCullum said Williamson has gradually lost his love of the role and he can quit captaincy in at least the T20 format. Coming to his opponent's defence, Virat Kohli said, "I don't think leadership can always be determined by the results. It's also about how you can get the team together and get the guys functioning under you as well, which I think Kane has done wonderfully well."

11:10 hrs IST: Good morning everyone and welcome to Outlook's live coverage of the 1st T20I between India and New Zealand at Auckland. The visitors will be hoping to build on their consistency after the Australian series win, meanwhile Nea Zealand will be hoping to bounce back.

Virat Kohli will be hoping his side can overcome the exhaustion factor of tight scheduling, and flourish in the seam-friendly wickets of New Zealand. Although the scheduling also means that the squad can build on momentum and consistency. The visitors arrived in Auckland on Tuesday.

"Well it's definitely getting closer and closer to landing at the stadium and playing straight. That's how compressed the game has become but I think this kind of travel and coming to a place, which is seven hours ahead of India time, is always difficult to adjust to immediately," Kohli told reporters on the eve of the first T2OI.

"So, I am sure these things will be taken into consideration much more in the future, yeah it is what it is, you can do whatever you can to get better and get on the park again, and that's international cricket for you today, it is back to back," he added.

Despite injuries to Dhawan, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India will still be favourties against Kane Williamson's side.

KL Rahul will have a key role to play for Ravi Shastri's unit, after having flourished with his wicketkeeping skills and batting against Australia. Rahul's performance has been a breath of fresh air for India, with Kohli even going on to compare him to none other than Rahul Dravid. According to Kohli, Rahul will continue to keep wickets in both ODIs and T20Is, but will open in the shortest format while returning to the middle-order in the 50-over format.

Manish Pandya and Shreyas Iyer are expected to continue on with the starting lineup, with Sanju Samson also to reportedly get a chance. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was also seen in the nets, but could possibly be warming the bench due to poor performances lately.

Also, Kohli could finally reintroduce the Yuzvendra Chahal-Kuldeep Yadav combination, with the duo having last played together during the 2019 World Cup. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are the obvious choices to lead India's pace attack.

New Zealand are currently not in good form in the shortest format, having recently lost 3-0 to Australia. The loss has also put a question mark over Kane Williamson's captaincy, with former skipper Brendon McCullum lashing out at the current Kiwi leader. Williamson's batting displays have been fantastic for his side, but it his leadership skills which are being questioned.

"So, I'm open to whatever is good for the group and to move the team in those directions. And you want to be making good decisions. Once again, not just a personal thing but a team thing," said Williamson.

Also, the pace department will miss the service of Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson due to injuries. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner are the expected spinners to start for the Black Caps.

Teams

India (from): Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wk), Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar.

New Zealand (from): Kane Williamson (capt), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Kuggeleijn, Colin Munro, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Bruce, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Hamish Bennett, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner.