Wellington, Feb 6 (IANS) New Zealand opener Tim Seifert’s quick-fire 84 got the hosts off to a flying start and saw them posting a huge 219/6 against India in the first of the three-match Twenty20 international series here on Wednesday.
At one point, the Kiwis were 134/2 in 12.4 overs and it seemed that they will get past the 250-run mark but lacked support from the middle order before Scott Kuggeleijn (20 off 7) late fireworks helped the cause.
Put in to bat, New Zealand openers Seifert (84 runs in 43 balls) and Colin Munro (34 off 20) got off to a brilliant start, thrashing the Indian bowlers all around the park.
The duo slammed 86 runs in 8.1 overs before Munro, who smashed a couple of boundaries and as many sixes, was dismissed by spinner Krunal Pandya.
Incoming batsman Kane Williamson then joined Seifert in the middle and continued the same scoring rate. The pair took New Zealand past the 100-run mark in no time.
But just when things seemed good in the middle, Seifert was sent back by pacer Khaleel Ahmed in the 13th over. While trying to up the ante, the opener was clean bowled by the pacer. In his 43-ball stay, Seifert slammed seven boundaries and six sixes.
Williamson continued the momentum with Daryl Mitchell (8) but soon after Mitchell’s wicket, Williamson also fell prey to leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. The duo departed in back to back deliveries.
In the middle order, apart from experienced batsman Ross Taylor (23) no other batsmen rose to the occasion as the scoring rate slowed down.
However, Colin de Grandhomme (3), Mitchell Santner (7 not out) and Scott’s unbeaten knock lifted the Kiwis to a massive total.
For India, all-rounder Hardik Pandya scalped two wickets conceding 51 runs.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 219/6 (Tim Seifert 84, Colin Munro 34; Hardik Pandya 2/51) vs India
–IANS
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