INDIA made a good start under a new captain and coach on Wednesday (17) when they beat New Zealand in the first T20 international at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan by five wickets to go 1-0 up in a three-match series.
The Men in Blue also avenged their defeat against the Kiwis in the just concluded T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates that virtually threw them out of the tournament.
ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma makes 'second' debut with Rahul Dravid around
India captain Rohit Sharma, who replaced Virat Kohli as the full-fledged skipper in the shortest format, won the toss and asked Tim Southee’s side to bat first. Opener Martin Guptill hit 70 while Mark Chapman made 63 to power the visitors to 164 for 6 in 20 overs. The Kiwis were off to a horrendous star as Daryl Mitchell fell for a duck in the bowling of pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the very first over. For India, Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin picked two wickets each.
Chasing the competitive target, India openers KL Rahul (15) and Sharma (48) gave their team a good start and after Rahul departed on the team score of 50 in the sixth over, Suryakumar Yadav (62) added 59 runs with his captain to give India a strong launching pad to win. New Zealand got some crucial breakthroughs later in the game and left India to get 10 runs from the final over. Irregular bowler Mitchell bowled the final over but while he took a wicket, the hosts finished off the game with two balls to spare.
Yadav was adjudged the man of the match. This match was also the first with Rahul Dravid as India's head coach.
The two teams will play in the second T20I in Ranchi on Friday (19).
Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Getty Images
Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi cries during the trophy ceremony at the end of the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026.Getty Images
Shakira performs during the Topps Final Halftime Show the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Getty Images
Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets the Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State Building, as seen from Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 17, 2026 in New York City. New York City has been under an Air Quality Health Advisory as the Canadian and Great Lakes wildfire smoke gradually moves through the area, creating a thick haze in the heat. Getty Images