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India vs New Zealand first T20I LIVE: Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul help India beat Kiwis by six wickets

Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to field field in the first T20I against New Zealand. It is an important series for both India and New Zealand keeping in mind  upcoming T20 World Cup later this year.

Published

7 years ago

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Shreyas Iyer.

A disciplined batting performance from Team India helped them win the first T20I against New Zealand by six wickets at Eden Park, Auckland.

New Zealand put up a good score of 203 runs on the board, but it wasn’t enough on a batting friendly wicket as KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer batted brilliantly to chase down the total in 19 overs.

India 1-0 New Zealand

Shreyas Iyer hits a six to finish off the game in style with an over to spare. India take the early lead in the five match T20I series and win the first match at Auckland by six wickets.

Shreyas Iyer reaches fifty as India nears win:

Shreyas Iyer is back to top form with a solid half-century. He hits a six off the first ball and then backs it up with a boundary off the next delivery to reach the mark in 26 balls.

Iyer keeps it going:

The required run rate is well under control as India need 29 runs from 18 deliveries. Shreyas Iyer hits a six off the short ball from Tim Southee. India – 175/4 after 17 overs.

Sodhi leaks runs in final over: 

Manish Pandey gets into the attack as he hits a marginally short delivery for a maximum. Shreyas Iyer gets a boundary with a cut shot as well. 14 runs from Sodhi’s final over. India – 165/4 after 16 overs.

Shivam Dube has to go:

All-rounder Shivam Dube holes out to Tim Southee at long-on off Ish Sodhi. India 142/4 in 13.2 overs.

STUNNER!

It’s Kohli’s wicket and Tickner has claimed it but the ‘stunner’ is all about Martin Guptill who dived forward to get the Indian skipper out for 45 runs.

WICKET!

KL Rahul skies a delivery from Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee takes a comfortable catch at long-on. He scored 56 runs off 27 deliveries. India reach 115/2 in 10 overs.

Fifty for KL:

KL Rahul smashes Blair Tickner for a six over long-on to reach his half-century off 23 balls.

Kohli, KL on song:

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul look in good touch as India are placed well at 65/1 in six overs.

Rohit Sharma departs:

Indian opener Rohit Sharma is dismissed by Mitchell Santner. He scored seven runs. India 16/1 in 1.4 overs.

New Zealand score 203/5 in 20 overs:

Bumrah gives away 12 runs in the last over as Ross Taylor’s unbeaten fifty propels the Kiwis to a competitive total.

Shami ends expensive spell

Mohammed Shami bowls a relatively decent over after going for 22 runs in his previous one. 9 runs from the penultimate over including a boundary.  New Zealand – 191/5 after 19 overs.

WICKET!

Tim Seifert batting way down the order than his usual position goes after Jasprit Bumrah on the second delivery he faces. Seifert gets deceived by Bumrah’s slower one and mistimes it to long on fielder Shreyas Iyer. Just fours runs and a wicket from the over. New Zealand – 182/5 after 18 overs.

Williamson departs fifty

Kane Williamson hits Yuzvendra Chahal for three boundaries in the over and gets to his 10th T20I half-century. Chahal bowls the last delivery away from Williamson and it goes straight up in the air. Williamson departs for 51 from 26 deliveries. New Zealand – 178/4 after 17 overs.

Taylor blows Shami away

Ross Taylor hits Mohammed Shami for a four and two huge sixes. The way Taylor is hitting sixes, he can clear any cricket ground. Brute power, strength on display from the veteran. 22 runs from the over. New Zealand – 165/3 after 16 overs.

Taylor manipulates Jadeja: 

First, Ross Taylor used Ravindra Jadeja’s pace to get a boundary, playing it away from the short third man fielder. Then, Taylor forced Jadeja to ball a little slower and his arc. The veteran gets into the position quickly and hits it over deep mid-wicket boundary and deep into the crowd. New Zealand – 143/3 after 15 overs.

Williamson goes big again:

It is hard to believe that Kane Williamson has hit four sixes in his innings already but not a single four. Williamson hits Shivam Dube for a flat six over deep square leg. 9 runs from Dube’s third over. Williamson’s batting at a strike rate of 200. New Zealand – 130/3 after 14 overs.

Jadeja strikes!

Ravindra Jadeja gets Colin de Grandehomme in his second delivery of the match. New Zealand: 117/3 in 12.2 overs.

The support at Eden Park:

Munro departs: 

Kane Williamson smashes Shardul Thakur for two consecutive sixes before Thakur gets Colin Munro caught at the square leg for 59 runs.

End of 10 overs:

New Zealand reach 91/1 with Kane Williamson and Colin Munro at the crease.

Munro reaches fifty:

Colin Munro reaches his half-century with a boundary that went off his edge. He took 36 balls to reach the mark.

Guptill departs:

Martin Guptill is caught by Rohit Sharma at the square-leg boundary off Shivam Dube. He scored 30 runs.

Spin attack:

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal comes into the attack in the seventh over and gives away just five runs. New Zealand: 73/0 after seven overs.

End of Powerplay: 

Guptill ends the powerplay with a straight six as the Kiwis reached 68/0 in six overs.

50 up for Kiwis:

New Zealand reach 50/0 in 4.3 over with Guptill on 15 and Munro on 31.

Big over for New Zealand:

Colin Munro hits two fours and a six as the Kiwis hit 18 runs in Shardul Thakur’s second over.

Shami introduced:

Mohammed Shami bowls a decent third over and gives away seven runs. New Zealand 26/0.

First six:

Munro lifts Shardul Thakur for the first six of the match over long-off. New Zealand 19/0 after two overs.

End of first over:

New Zealand 7/0 with Guptill and Munro at the crease.

First boundary:

Smashed through the mid-off boundary. Guptill got width outside off stump and he made full use of the opportunity to hit the first boundary of the innings.

Bumrah to start proceedings:

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has the new ball while Martin Guptill and Colin Munro open for the Kiwis.

Team India looks all set:

TOSS:

India have won the toss and have opted to field

Pitch report from Sunil Gavaskar: 

“It’s a boundary-hitting ground. No total is unchaseable. It looks a good pitch to bat on. There isn’t any grass on the surface. Seamers might not get much help from it. It’s a hard deck, so the ball should come on nicely to the bat and encourage strokeplay”

India vs New Zealand teams:

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul(w), Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami

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

Full schedule of India tour of New Zealand

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No discussion on Ajit Agarkar’s extension, BCCI clarifies after key meeting absence

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explained Ajit Agarkar’s absence from a key meeting and denied that his tenure extension was discussed.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 3, 2026

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday addressed speculation surrounding chief selector Ajit Agarkar after he was absent from an important meeting involving India’s senior cricket leadership.

The meeting was attended by India captains Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir, BCCI officials and Centre of Excellence director of cricket VVS Laxman. Agarkar, however, was not present either in person or virtually.

His absence led to speculation about his future as chairman of the men’s senior selection committee.

BCCI explains Agarkar’s absence

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said Agarkar was out of station when the meeting was called at short notice.

According to Saikia, Agarkar was in an area where he could not join the meeting online despite making efforts to do so.

Saikia’s clarification came amid reports and speculation over whether Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector could be extended.

No discussion on Agarkar’s extension

Asked whether the BCCI discussed extending Agarkar’s tenure during the meeting, Saikia said there was no such discussion.

He also rejected speculation about VVS Laxman being appointed as the BCCI’s director of cricket, saying the board had neither discussed such a move nor had any intention of doing so.

Agarkar’s tenure marked by key decisions

Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector has included several high-profile decisions involving India’s leadership and squad selection.

One notable decision was the backing of Suryakumar Yadav as a long-term T20I captain ahead of Hardik Pandya.

Another major call involved replacing Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain. Both decisions attracted considerable attention and criticism, but Agarkar publicly defended the selection committee’s decisions.

For now, the BCCI has made it clear that Agarkar’s absence from Thursday’s meeting was due to logistical circumstances and that no discussion on extending his tenure took place during the meeting.

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Cricket news

Jasprit Bumrah returns as India name squad for Afghanistan T20Is

Jasprit Bumrah returns to India’s squad for the Afghanistan T20I series, while Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also make the cut.

Published

4 days ago

on

September 1, 2026

By

Jasprit Bumrah

India have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with Jasprit Bumrah making a return after an injury break.

Bumrah last represented India in an ODI against England on July 16, when he suffered a left-knee injury. His inclusion in the Afghanistan squad is subject to fitness clearance. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana are also part of the squad subject to fitness clearance.

The Afghanistan series will begin on September 13 in New Delhi and will be played ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. The second T20I is scheduled for September 15, followed by the third match on September 17.

Sanju Samson, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi included

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has returned to the T20I squad, while teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has also been included following his strong performances against Zimbabwe.

Sooryavanshi will be among the top-order options alongside Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Ishan Kishan. Samson and Kishan are the two designated wicketkeepers in the squad.

Shreyas Iyer has been named captain, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. Shivam Dube is also part of the middle order.

Bumrah to lead pace attack

Bumrah is set to spearhead the pace attack alongside Arshdeep Singh, with Harshit Rana providing another fast-bowling option.

The all-rounder group consists of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi form the spin options.

Hardik Pandya does not feature in the announced squad.

India squad for Afghanistan T20Is

Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*.

*Subject to fitness clearance.

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LATEST SPORTS NEWS

Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after 21 years with Argentina, ending a decorated career with the national team.

Published

4 days ago

on

September 1, 2026

By

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his celebrated 21-year career with the Argentina national team.

The 39-year-old forward confirmed his decision after leading Argentina to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time, with Messi’s international career ending after another appearance in a World Cup final.

Messi made his senior international debut for Argentina in 2005 and went on to become the country’s record appearance-maker and leading goalscorer. He finished his international career with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Messi’s Argentina career

Messi’s relationship with the Argentina national team included several painful defeats before he eventually led the side to major international honours.

He won the Copa América in 2021 before guiding Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title in Qatar in 2022. Argentina also won the 2024 Copa América during his later international career.

The 2026 World Cup became his sixth appearance at the tournament. Argentina reached the final but fell short against Spain.

In announcing his decision, Messi said the choice was painful but that he understood the time had come to close this chapter of his career. He also expressed his continued love for representing Argentina.

Messi’s international records

Messi leaves Argentina as its most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals.

His international honours include the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and the 2022 Finalissima. His international career also included Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008.

Messi’s decision applies to international football and does not mean he has retired from the sport altogether. He remains a player for Inter Miami at club level.

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