NZ vs IND Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! An anticlimactic end to the match, but India beat New Zealand by 6 wickets and 40 balls to spare. A good-length delivery bashed hard into the pitch by Jamieson. Naman Dhir waits back and looks to punch it to the off side, but the ball straightens up a bit, takes a good chunk of the outside edge and rifles behind to the deep third fence. A famous, famous win for the Men in Blue as they made chasing 199 look like a stroll in the park.

OUT! YOU MISS, I HIT! Some late joy for New Zealand before they head to Auckland. Kyle cannons in a very full ball, aimed at the stumps. Sanju Samson exposes the sticks by backing away and looking to loft it over the off side. But he gets a tad late to bring his bat down and misses to connect as the ball makes an absolute mess of the timber behind. India are 195/4, needing 4 more.

Slowish and shortish, on middle, Samson rocks back and punches it to deep extra cover for a single. India need 4 runs to win.

Slides across the batter, short in length, Varma opens the bat face by hanging back and eases it to short third. Duffy overruns and slips a bit while trying to stop the ball and it gets deflected away for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Santner, who is yet to concede a boundary, picks up a wicket. He dishes out a full toss that drifts into the batter. Iyer sinks his back knee into the pitch and tries to slog it over deep mid-wicket, but his bat gets twisted at the point of contact while dragging it across. Hence, his timing goes all wrong and he offers a straightforward catch to deep mid-wicket. Phillips is not dropping those at all. India are 193/3, needing 6 more to win.

Slower and shorter, outside off, Iyer waits on it and cus it on the bounce to short third.

A bit more round-armish on a fuller length, Samson mistimes the shot towards long on for a single.

Floated up, full on middle, Iyer creates room by shuffling to the leg side and shovels it to deep cover for a single.

FOUR! Lovely hands from Samson. Hard length around off, Sanju makes his own width by backing away and smacks it down past the right of the backward point fielder for a boundary.

Back of a length again, angled into the batter. Iyer misses the tuck off the hips and the ball goes off his thigh pad to short fine leg for a leg bye.

Back of a length and outside off, Iyer rocks back and opes the bat face, hitting it down to the backward point fielder. Three dots in a row now.

Length again, a smidge fuller than the last one, and angled back into the off pole. Iyer jams it out in front of point.

A beauty from Kyle. Good length, in the channel, and seaming away late. Shreyas Iyer presses back to guide it away but the ball breezes past the outside edge.

Hard length, slanting it into the body of the batter. Samson slogs it away without much timing and to deep mid-wicket for a run.

One more to end the over, just 7 off it. Very full and angled in on leg stump. Samson stabs it out towards wide mid off for a run.

Tossed up at the stumps, caressed away through extra cover for a single by Iyer.

Another loopy delivery, taking the ball above the eyeline of the batter, and getting it to dip right on the crease. Samson waits back before lifting it inside-out to deep cover for a run more.

Tossed up on off, this is eased down to long off for a single.

Flighted up around off, not all that full. Shreyas Iyer is nearly beaten in the flight as he looks to drive, but adjusts and cuts it late to the left of short third for a couple of runs.

Looped up, landing it full on middle, drifting it in. Sanju Samson stays leg side of the ball and squeezes it away to the right of the diving point fielder for a single.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND CAUGHT! This time, GP makes no mistake with a comparatively simple catch. The crowd rises up to applaud a tremendous knock from Abhishek. India are 178/2. Full and outside off, Abhishek advances but fails to get to the pitch of it. He tries to heave it across the line, the bat turning slightly in his hands as he connects off the inside half towards deep mid-wicket. Glenn Phillips settles under it and takes a safe catch.

DROPPED AND FOUR! A Superman effort by Phillips. Full marks for the effort. Short of a length on leg stump and angled across the left-hander. Abhishek backs away and pulls it to the left of deep mid-wicket but gets it a bit mistimed off the inner half of the bat. Glenn Phillips launches himself full stretch to his left, almost like a Superman, but cannot hold on. He gets fingertips to it, but it deflects and lands just short of the rope. The umpires check the replay before signalling four. Only Phillips could have got anywhere near that one.

SIX! In a hurry to finish things off now! A juicy half-volley, on the stumps, Abhishek swings it effortlessly over deep square leg. Targets the smallest boundary and clears it with ease.

FOUR! Top edge, but that won't matter. HUNDRED FOR ABHISHEK SHARMA! Off just 35 balls, graced with ten sixes and four boundaries. That's his 4th T20I century. Astonishing batting from him as he has set Wellington on fire. Seems to be an off-pace delivery, on a good length, Abhishek Sharma is early into the pull shot and top edges it over the short fine leg for a boundary to get to his milestone. After all that mayhem, he folds himself into a yoga pose, perfectly calm, before breaking out an Erling Haaland-style celebration. The crowd is on its feet, roaring in appreciation of a truly special knock. They have surely got their money's worth.

Bangs it short and angles it into the body as Samson backs to the leg side. He plays off the back foot and tucks it through mid-wicket for a single. The crowd is boisterous as Abhishek is on strike now.

Very full at the toes, Abhishek flicks it to deep square leg for a single. He is on 99 now.

Very full on the leg stump, Abhishek clips it through mid-wicket for an easy single and moves to 98! India need just 37 runs from 66 balls.

Wide! Slanted way across the batter, on a good length. Abhishek reaches out to cut it away, but misses out. Seifert collects it sharply to his left.

Slows it up, full on middle and leg, Samson presents full face of the bat and drills it down to long off for a single.

Spears in a full toss, on middle, Abhishek drags it across to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Darts it on the leg stump, following Samson who moves away. He lofts it inside out over cover for a single.

A touch short and drifting across, Sharma cuts it through cover-point for a single.

Starts with a yorker outside the off stump, from around the stump. Abhishek fails to dig it out.

FOUR! That is such a sweetly timed shot! Slightly back of a length and around the off stump, Sanju makes room by backing away and thumps it over the mid off fielder for a cracking boundary. Excellent backlift and balance on that shot. Absolutely no respite for the bowlers here in Wellington. Despite a wicket, 23 runs come off Fisher's first over.

Wide! Sprays it far down leg, on a fuller length, Samson misses his flick.

Overpitched, on middle, Sharma carves it powerfully through covers for a single.

In the air and PUT DOWN! Santner never looked comfortable under it and spills a big chance. 150 comes up for India! Full and outside off, Abhishek goes for the big hit straight down the ground but gets it off the toe end. The ball climbs high into the night sky over and between cover and mid off and swirls in the air. Santner tracks it to his right but misjudges the flight, forced into a desperate late dive, and cannot get there. The ball bursts through his hands and drops down on the ground. Two runs taken. Not an easy chance at all.

SIX! High and long enough. That was a teaser for Phillips, who can only let out a wry smile. Abhishek moves to 92! Back of a length and on the stumps. Abhishek picks it up early and launches it towards deep mid-wicket. The ball hangs up in the air forever, and Phillips, right on the fence, can do nothing to stop it. He sticks out his right hand over his head to pluck it, but it just sails over him and drops behind the ropes.

Wide! Tries to keep it away from the hitting arc, but sprays it beyond the tramline on the off side, Abhishek leaves it alone.

SIX! Number 9 for Abhishek tonight. The leg-cutter on a good length, on middle and off, Abhishek Sharma waits for it to arrive and nails the pull shot behind deep mid-wicket for a huge six. That's gone many a mile and Abhishek gallops to 86 off just 26.

Back of a length, climbing on the batter with extra bounce, outside off. Sanju guides it on the bounce to deep third for a single. Oh, dear! Fisher has overstepped and it is a No Ball. Abhishek will face the Free Hit.

OUT! CAUGHT! Fisher breaks a belligerent opening stand and has his maiden T20I wicket as well. He spears in a full-length delivery, on the off stump, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets the front foot out of the way to resume business by sending it into the stands down the ground, but cannot get the timing right this time. Goes through the shot but gets more height than distance on this one. Daryl Mitchell runs in off the ropes, a bit to his right from long on and takes a fantastic diving catch. India are 133/1, needing 66 runs to win in 77 balls.

Into the blockhole, on the stumps. Sooryavanshi tries to drive it inside out to the off side but gets an inside edge and the ball gets squirted away through wide mid on for a single. Just 15 runs off the over. Just.

Darts it full and on off, Abhishek carves it away to deep cover-point for a single.

Wide! Full but sliding down leg, Abhishek goes for an aggressive sweep but misses out on connection.

Outside off and short, Sharma hangs back and cuts it to backward point.

Fires it in, full and outside off, Abhishek advances down the track, but gets cramped up for space and can only carve it back to the bowler.

SIX! They are making it look so easy! Pitched fuller and around the off stump. Abhishek Sharma jumps down the track to get to the pitch of the ball and slams it over deep cover for six more.

SIX MORE! There's no way to hide. Fractionally full and drifting in, Abhishek Sharma rocks back and effortlessly pulls it behind deep mid-wicket for a mammoth six.

SIX! This one goes the distance. Just audacious hitting, this. A record-breaking Powerplay as India hammer 118 runs off it. Short of a length and outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi frees his arms, leans back a bit and powers it over deep backward point for a huge six.

FOUR! Up and over! The fielders are just running away to pick the ball up from the fence. On a length, outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi throws his bat at it and powerfully cuts it over backward point for a boundary.

A bit too full on the leg stump, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi powerfully drives it away but finds the fielder at cover.

Beaten! Short of a length, angled across the batter, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stays leg side and tries to play the uppercut but the ball springs up to whiz past his angled bat. Sooryavanshi curses himself for missing out.

FOUR! Even the edges are flying away! Absolutely nothing going right for New Zealand right now. Very full and outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi clears the front leg and tries to smoke it downtown, but gets a massive outside edge and the ball flies between the keeper and short third for a boundary.

FOUR! This is insane ball-striking. Back of a length, around off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi backs away to create room and ferociously smacks it over extra cover for a cracking boundary.

FOUR! Streaky, but the 100 is up for India in just 5 overs - quite remarkable. Hard length, darting it across off. Sharma throws his hands at it and gets a thick outside edge that flies fine of the short third fielder and into the fence.

Swing and a miss, a real rarity in this chase. Skiddy short ball over middle, comes in around shoulder height. Abhishek Sharma looks to smash the pull over mid-wicket but misses out.

Wide! Too short! Banged in halfway down the pitch, over middle and leg, and the ball sails over Sharma's head.

FOUR! Up and over, as India inch closer to the three-figure mark, and it's only been 4.4 overs so far. Overpitched delivery, on the fifth-stump line. Sharma hangs back and hammers it over extra cover for a boundary, taking Indian to 95/0.

Hard length, right at the batter. Sooryavanshi gets cramped form room and ends up dabbing it past square leg for a single.

SIX! Just a flick of the wrists, and away she goes. Length ball on the pads, Sooryavanshi flicks it away down to deep square leg, where the fielder leaps up to his left but the ball sails over his fingertips.

Pitched full and straight at the stumps, Sooryavanshi takes out the front leg and drills it back to the bowler, a tad uppishly too. Adam Milne gets a hand on it in his followthrough.

Well, he had to miss out sometime, but it's on a freebie. Slower ball, full and dipping on the batter. It turns out to be a full toss and Sharma fails to get it away.

FOUR! There are no fielders, it seems. Hard length, slanted back into the batter. Abhishek Sharma heaves it off the inside half of the blade and gets it well behind square leg for a boundary.

SIX! That's a joke of a shot, and Abhishek Sharma gets to FIFTY off just 15 balls. Shorter now and at the batter. Sharma seems to have gotten tucked up but manages to just flick it up in the air, and the ball sails over the square leg fence. That's the third-fastest fifty by an Indian batter in T20I cricket. The quickest belongs to Yuvraj Singh, with Abhishek himself second on the list.

SIX! Too much room to free the arms, and Sharma doesn't miss out. Full and wide outside off, Sharma extends his arms and hammers it high and long over deep point for another six. He's now on 49 off just 14 balls.

Good carry! Jamieson sees Sharma advancing towards him and bangs it into the deck, over middle and extracts some extra bounce. Sharma tries to go over the off side again but is beaten.

FOUR! Pitched up full and around off, in the zone to be hit. Abhishek Sharma stays put and smears it away between mid-wicket and mid on for a boundary.

A dot ball, but 21 runs come off that over. Good length on off and middle, cut away straight to covers by Sooryavanshi, and he's distraught not to have put it away.

SIX! That's been launched into orbit by the youngster. Dragged well short over middle, enough time for the batter to attack it. Sooryavanshi rocks back and tonks it deep into the stands over long on for a biggie.

Fuller one, sliding it into the batter. Sharma steps out and drives it along the turf to long off for a single.

FOUR! This is turning into a bit of a joke now. Slow and short as Bracewell sees Sharma advancing, but the latter has enough time to rock back as he forces it up and over the point region for four more.

SIX! Super strike, and the 50 is up for India in just 2.2 overs. Tossed up on off, Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and lofts it over deep extra cover for a biggie.

FOUR! Abhishek just keeps finding a way to clear the off side. Shorter and on off, angling it in. Sharma makes room and forces it over cover-point for another boundary.

That's sharp from Milne. A quick bumper over middle, and darting it away. Sooryavanshi reaches up to uppercut but is well beaten. Vaibhav wants a wide call but won't get it.

Very full and outside off, angling away. Abhishek Sharma squeezes it down to deep backward point and rotates strike.

FOUR! Width on offer, not much, but still Sharma manages to get it away. Hard length outside off, Sharma stands tall and scythes it over square covers for a boundary. 16 off this over already.

SIX! That's been nailed, making it a third six for Abhishek Sharma already. Banged in a short and around off, Sharma stays on the front foot and flat-bats it over the ropes at wide long off.

SIX! Just over the fielder in the deep. Pitched a bit fuller and outside off, Sharma slices it away over deep point and picks up six runs.

Swing for Milne right away. He hits a good length, getting the ball to go from leg to off, just pushing it past the left-hander. Abhishek Sharma has a feel for it but the ball goes past the outside edge.

Pace off, on a good length and Sharma just eases it past point for a single. 26 off the first over, what a rollicking start for India.

FIVE WIDES! Oh my, this is a disaster of a start for Jacob Duffy. Short ball, into the pitch and over middle and leg. The ball sails over Sharma's head and past the leaping keeper for a boundary.

SIX! Wow, what a shot! 20 off the over with a ball to go. Duffy hits the deck hard and tries to angle it across the left-hander. Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and lifts it from around waist height and launches it over wide long off for a huge six.

Back of a length, in and around off. Sooryavanshi throws his hands at it again, but gets an under edge this time, and the ball rolls down to long leg for a single.

SIX! That's right off the meaty part of the bat. Short ball outside off, Sooryavanshi backs away a bit and lays into the shot, thwacking it over deep point for a biggie.

Hard length outside off, Sooryavanshi goes after it and slices it high and down to deep point. A couple of fielders from inside the ring go after it and keep it down to two runs.

Duffy goes short now, banged in outside off. Sooryavanshi throws his hands at it, but the ball flies over. Uh, oh! Duffy has overstepped here, and a No Ball is called. Free Hit loading...

FOUR! Walloped down the ground, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has hit the ground running. Duffy serves it on a good length and in the channel around off. Sooryavanshi sets up deep inside the crease and forces it over mid on for four runs.