(Reuters) – 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.
The second T20I of the series will take place in Lucknow on Sunday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Toby Davis)
