IND vs NZ 2021, 3rd T20I: India register clean sweep with thumping 73-run win over Kiwis

India completed a clean sweep against New Zealand, hammering the Kiwis by 73 runs in the third T20I at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Batting first after winning the toss, India posted a healthy 184 for 7 and then restricted the visitors to 111.

Left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Axar Patel claimed three wickets each. However, while India recovered from the blows to post a competitive total, New Zealand kept faltering in the chase. Martin Guptill (51 off 36) was the lone warrior for the Kiwis in the batting department.

Axar was brilliant in the powerplay as India restricted New Zealand to 37 for 3 in the first six overs. Introduced in the third over, Axar struck off the very first ball, sending back Daryl Mitchell (5). The New Zealand opener mistimed a full ball towards cover. Off the last ball of the over, Axar invited Mark Chapman (0) out of his crease and had him stumped by beating him in flight. In his next over, the left-arm spinner cleaned up Glenn Phillips (0) as the attacking batter attempted a reverse sweep.

Even as Axar was on fire, Guptill kept New Zealand’s hopes alive with a fiery knock at the other end. He smashed Deepak Chahar for two fours and a six in the second over of the innings. After lofting an over-pitched delivery over extra cover for a boundary, he cleared the ropes over long-on. Another four came with a full ball hit over the bowler’s head. Chahar could have had Guptill off the last ball but spilled a skier.

When Yuzvendra Chahal was introduced in the fourth over, Guptill welcomed him back to international cricket with a handsome six over long-on. He carried on attacking the leg-spinner, clobbering him for a six and a four in his next over. The New Zealand opener raced to a 33-ball fifty but Chahal had the final say in the battle. He had Guptill caught a long-on with a nicely tossed-up delivery.

The Kiwis lost their way after Guptill’s exit. Tim Seifert (17) was run out after being refused a second that was not on. Jimmy Neesham (3) was then brilliantly caught by Rishabh Pant. The left-hander slogged Harshal Patel but found no timing. The ball wobbled for a while and Pant had to put in a dive to complete a spectacular take.

Stand-in skipper Santner (2) was the second Kiwi batter to be run out. He too attempted a run that was never there and was caught short by a direct hit by Ishan Kishan from deep midwicket.

Venkatesh Iyer, who finally got a bowl, picked up his maiden international wicket in his third over as Adam Milne (7) slapped a length ball straight to cover. Ish Sodhi (9) became Harshal’s second victim as he miscued the pacer to long-on. The end came in the 18th over when Lockie Ferguson (14), after heaving Harshal for a couple of sixes, gave a return catch to Chahar.

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Deepak Chahar cameo lifts India to 184 for 7 after Mitchell Santner three-fer

Deepak Chahar plays a shot during the third T20I. Pic: Getty Images

Chahar smashed a sizzling 21* off eight balls as India posted an impressive 184 for 7 after winning the toss and batting first in Kolkata. India were 165 at the end of the 19th over and it seemed they wouldn’t cross 180. However, Chahar clobbered Milne for two fours and a six in the last over to give the hosts the perfect finish to the innings.

After slicing a full delivery over point for four, he whipped a length ball to deep midwicket. Chahar then flat-batted a maximum down the ground off a short ball from Milne. 19 came off the over as India recovered from a mid-innings stumble to put up a highly challenging total.

Earlier, skipper Rohit Sharma impressed with yet another half-century as India got off to a solid start. He scored 56 off 31 and featured in an opening stand of 69 with Ishan Kishan (29 off 21). Rohit was in his element right away, flaying his Mumbai Indians (MI) colleague Trent Boult for two fours in the first over.

In the next over, Kishan took on Milne. After edging a four past slip off the first ball, he ended the over by guiding one in the same direction for another boundary. Rohit hit his first six by pulling Boult into the stands over fine leg. When Ferguson was introduced, he slammed another maximum over long-off.

Rohit feasted on Ferguson’s bowling in the last over of the powerplay as the Kiwi pacer kept missing his lengths. 20 came off the over, which included a six that was pumped over backward square leg. India raced to 69 for no loss after six overs.

Santner brought New Zealand back in the game with some excellent left-arm spin bowling. Immediately after the powerplay, he forced Kishan to edge an arm ball while attempting a late cut. Suryakumar Yadav (0) perished in the same over, chipping an inviting delivery to extra cover. Pant (4) became Santner’s third victim after he miscued a slog sweep towards mid-on. With India at 83 for 3, New Zealand were right back in the contest.

Rohit brought up a well-deserved fifty in the 11th over but perished immediately after. He attempted to hit Sodhi down the ground but miscued the stroke and was smartly caught by the bowler, who stuck out one hand.

Shreyas Iyer (25) and Venkatesh Iyer (20) failed to build on their starts but a handy cameo from Harshal (18 off 11), before he was out hit-wicket, aided India's cause. Chahar then came out and played a blazing knock.

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IND vs NZ 2021, 3rd T20I: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs New Zealand match?

There were some fantastic performances from India in Kolkata. Rohit yet again led from the front with a sublime half-century. Venkatesh Iyer and Harshal chipped in with both bat and ball, while Chahar played a sparkling cameo. With the ball, Axar was literally unplayable. He spun the match India’s way with figures of 3 for 9.

For New Zealand, Santner impressed with three wickets while Guptill scored an aggressive fifty.

Axar was named Player of the Match for his career-best T20I figures of 3 for 9.