NZ vs IND Ball by Ball Commentary

An aggressive delivery from Nathan Smith to end, and New Zealand win by 87 runs. This is a quick bumper over middle stump. The ball hurries off the deck with some extra bounce and Prince Yadav is beaten all ends up as he tries to pull it away. A dot to end proceedings, and the hosts pick up their first win of the series, but are still down 3-1.

SIX! A bit of entertainment late on from Prince Yadav. Hard length over off stump, Prince hangs back and climbs into the shot, forcing the lofted shot down the ground for a six.

Skiddy length again, darting back into the batter. Mayank Yadav defends it down past the strip on the leg side and Prince calls him through for another quick single.

Good length at the stumps, swung away without much timing, over mid on and for a single.

That's poor cricket all-round. Back of a length and at the batter, Mayank gets cramped up and dabs it down in front of point. Prince Yadav calls him through for a single but Mayank is late to react. Finn Allen from cover picks the ball up and has all the time to get a direct hit in at the bowler's end, but he rushes and fires in a wide throw, allowing the batter to get home.

Ooh, extra bounce! Skiddy length over off and middle, takes off a bit after pitching. Mayank Yadav is taken aback and gets it off the handle of the blade.

FOUR! Edged away! Back of a length and around off, carrying through sharply. Prince Yadav hangs back and tries to glide it away but gets an outside edge wide of the keeper and the ball races away into the deep third fence.

Hard length outside off, dabbed down through the short third region for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! That is an excellent take from Tim Seifert, and Tilak Varma is finally put out of his misery. Matthew Fisher hits a good length and keeps the ball around off stump. Varma hangs deep and makes room, swinging wildly across the line. The ball gets skewed high into the night sky and comes down near the backward point region. The keeper calls for it, and keeps his eyes under the swirling ball, gloving it brilliantly with a forward dive. New Zealand are just one wicket away from the win now.

Hard length outside off, Varma hangs back to go through the off side but slices it away to deep cover.

A bit premeditated by Varma. He goes back and across to the off side and Fisher shortens the length, banging it into the deck and following Varma outside the off stump. This is awkwardly played down to mid off.

Errs in line, does Fisher and that gets Varma back on strike. Good length, angling down leg, Prince Yadav tucks it off his pads and down to fine leg for a single.

Excellent change-up from Milne, and this time, Tilak Varma won't be able to pick a single off the final ball. Slower ball, on a length and pushed across off. Varma steps out and looks to ease it through the off side but misses. They don't go for the bye either.

Looking for a wide call, but Varma won't get it. Milne goes full and wide again, almost hugging the tramline, and Varma leaves it alone.

SIX! Cheeky again from Varma. Full and outside off, Tilak lunges across and goes down for the scoop, nailing it back over the keeper's head for a six.

Good bumper, really well directed by Milne. Banged in a bit short and around leg stump, Varma ducks under it as the ball goes over his right shoulder.

It's just dots and a few boundaries in between right now, mixed with the odd single off the final ball of the over. Full and fast, around off, Varma clears the front leg and drills it to mid off.

Milne jams in a yorker around leg stump. Varma gets cramped for room and only manages to jam it out towards mid-wicket for a dot ball.

Again, an easy single off the final ball, helping Tilak keep strike. Full and outside off, bunted out to the right of cover for a single.

Getting a bit funky out there, is Tilak Varma. Hard length outside off, Varma tries some sort of reverse-pull shot, trying to get it fine but misses out on the connection.

SIX! That's nicely done. Smith misses his mark with the yorker and serves a full toss on leg stump. Tilak Varma shuffles across and gets inside the line, helping it off the face of the blade and all the way over fine leg for six runs. 150 up now for India.

No timing on it. Full-pitched delivery outside off, Varma gets low and scythes it away on the bounce to the deep cover fielder. No single taken yet again.

Back of a length, tighter line around off. Varma stays back and angles it gently down to short third. Another dot ball.

Brilliantly fielded. Smith goes full and wide, and Tilak Varma has to reach for it. Varma toe-ends it to the left of short third, where Matthew Fisher dives across and makes a sharp stop.

Pitched up around middle, Varma leans on and clips it through square leg for one, and manages to farm the strike for the new over.

Short-pitched delivery around leg, comes in at shoulder height and Varma misses the pull. No wide is called either.

Full again, this time at the toes, Varma jams the drive down to long on and opts against the single.

FOUR! Flat and hard, and past the fielder in a flash. Pitched up at the stumps, Varma clears the front leg and hammers it just to the left of the mid off fielder and picks up a boundary.

SIX! Up and over! Hard length by Milne, just outside off. Tilak Varma hangs back and slams it away flat over mid off, and the ball sails right onto the boundary ropes for a six.

Good length in the channel, angling away. Varma hops back to cut but is well beaten.

Just in! But full marks for the intensity shown by Santner. A full, wide delivery outside off that drifts away with generous flight. Tilak shuffles across before flicking it to the leg side for a risky single. Santner charges to his left on the follow-through and unleashes a direct hit off a rocket throw at the striker's end, with Seifert already celebrating. But the replay shows that Prince has made it home and survives by the narrowest of margins. Santner finishes off with another frugal spell - 2/24 in 4 overs for him. Simply sensational.

Fuller length outside off. 94 kph. Tilak opens the bat face and dabs it to short third.

Darted in on a fuller length, outside off, Tilak gets down on a knee to slog, but mistimes it back to the bowler.

DROPPED! Matthew Fisher is the guilty party. Santner potentially could have four wickets tonight. Lands it full and at the pads, floated slower through the air. Prince drops to one knee for the slog sweep but can only top edge it high towards square leg. Fisher tries to himself beneath it, gets both hands to the ball, but spills it, allowing a single.

Tossed up, full and outside off, Prince stretches forward and drives it to short cover.

Flatter and fuller, outside off, Tilak lunges and slaps it to the left of the diving cover fielder for a single.

Hard length angled on the leg stump with extra bounce. The ball arrives at an awkward height but Prince somehow manages to fence it to the leg side.

Slower one by the looks of it, short in length, Tilak controls the pull shot to widish deep mid-wicket for a single.

Another brilliant piece of teamwork in the deep! Short on leg, Tilak stands tall and swats it between long on and deep mid-wicket. Nathan Smith comes sliding across to his right, cuts it off before making contact with the ropes and lobs the ball to Daryl Mitchell, who converges from long on. He relays the throw to the bowling end as the batters hustle back for two.

Straight up, but falls safely! Hammers it short and aims at the bodyline, Tilak attempts the pull but is late into the shot, sending a top edge looping into no man's land around mid on.

Beaten! Varma shows his cards early by advancing down the track and Duffy bangs it short, follows the batter to cramp him for room. Tilak dangles the bat away from his body to block it, but it sneaks past the inside edge.

Outside off on a fullish length, Tilak stays leg side and cuts it to deep backward point. No run taken.

Spins away from a fractionally fuller length, Yadav steers it to backward point.

Quicker now, on off, Yadav covers the stumps and stabs it to mid off.

As Prince charges down to launch it down the ground, Santner cleverly takes the pace off, floating one at 77 kph on a length outside off. Yadav adjusts late and soft-hands it towards cover-point.

FOUR! Runs away! Drifted down the leg stump on a fuller length, Prince gets down on a knee and sweeps it off the inner half of the bat. There's no protection at deep fine leg and the ball speeds away to the fence.

Too full, wide of off, Yadav can't get under it and drags it back to the bowler.

Slower through the air, full and outside off, Yadav pushes it to mid off.

A yorker outside off, Prince jams the bat down and carves it behind point for a single.

Zipped through! Short and angled in from outside off, Prince hops in his crease and tries to dab it towards point, only for the ball to climb past the outside edge.

Length on the stumps. Prince blocks it into the leg side.

Wide! Spilled down leg at 136 kph, Yadav misses to flick. Seifert dives to his left and grabs it. He appeals for caught behind, but nothing doing.

OUT! GONE! Another one bites the dust! Short of a good length, outside off, Arshdeep Singh leans back a bit and carves it aerially towards deep backward point, offering a straightforward catch to Bevon Jacobs, who makes no mistake this time around. India are 121/8 down now and Duffy is on a Hat Trick.

OUT! Sensational effort in the deep - involving Mitchell and Smith and Duffy strikes upon his return, claiming his second. Back of a length and around off, Dhir stands tall and swats it high towards the right of long on. Mitchell sprints across, takes the catch cleanly, but realises his momentum is carrying him over the boundary. He tosses the ball back into play before stepping over, and Nathan Smith, rushing in from deep mid-wicket, overruns before turning back and diving to complete a brilliant relay catch. India are 121/7, needing 139 more.

Short and outside off, Tilak cuts it to deep point for a single.

Fired into the batter on a good length, Dhir tucks it with soft hands to widish deep mid-wicket and they hustle back for the second run.

DROPPED AND SIX! Jacobs puts down an easy chance. He's had his fair share of issues with dropped catches in this series. Santner has his hands on his head as he just can't believe it. A bit full and outside off, Dhir reaches out and lofts it inside out over extra cover. Bevon Jacobs runs to his right, tries to catch it with a reverse cup, but the ball just bursts through his hands and drops beyond the fence.

A bit too full, on leg, Tilak leans on and clips it to the mid-wicket region for a single.

Into the batter, on a good length, Dhir dinks it through wide mid on for an easy single.

Darted on a length, around off, not letting Varma free his arms. He can only jab it down to long on for a single.

Wide! Pushed far across the left-hander, outside off at 91 kph. It breaches the tramline. Tilak leaves.

On a lower trajectory, outside off, Dhir slaps it through cover-point for a single.

Hard length on off and middle, stabbed down through wide mid on for a single.

SIX! Overpitched and punished! A full ball on off, Naman nicely leans forward and just plays a checked-drive over mid off, and times it sublimely for a six.

FOUR! Now, that's a bit unfortunate for the bowler, but the 100 is up for India. A cross-seamer, very full and outside off. Naman Dhir jams the bat down, and toe-ends it back into the turf as the ball flies past the keeper and into the deep third fence.

FOUR! Down the wrong line, and Naman Dhir makes hay. A length ball on the pads, Naman stays inside the line and just flicks it down to the vacant long leg fence for a boundary.

Good length at the stumps, Dhir picks it up and forces the heave uppishly down to the right of long on, and picks up a couple of runs.

Skiddy length, darting back in from around middle. Naman Dhir stays back and jabs it across to mid-wicket.

Flatter again, sliding into the front pad. Naman stays back and tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Bowled flatter and around off, Naman Dhir hopes back and covers the line to defend.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Sharp reactions again, and Mitchell Santner strikes twice in his first over, putting New Zealand within touching distance of a win. Slightly tossed up, a bit full as well and around off. Axar Patel sits down to slog it away but ends up flat-batting it back towards the bowler. Santner does well to leap up in his followthrough and get both hands on it. The ball gets parried back up and Santner pouches it brilliantly on the second attempt.

Nagging length on the pads, worked away behind square leg for a single.

Good fielding in the deep. Dragged length, angled wide of the off stump. Tilak Varma rocks back and slices the cut down to the left of deep backward point for a couple of runs.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, that is a very sharp take from Michael Bracewell, and Mitchell Santner has 150 T20I wickets. Santner starts by lobbing one up, on a length and wide of the off stump. Nitish Kumar Reddy extends his arms and tries to pummel it away through the off side, but hits it flat and hard, and straight to extra cover. Bracewell snaffles it with both hands and Reddy cannot believe it. India are down to 86/5 now.

In the air... safe! Hard length around middle and leg, Reddy swings at it wildly and miscues the heave, high and wide of long on. Daryl Mitchell runs across to his right and slides in to take it on the bounce. Mitchell then fires in a throw at the keeper's end as the batters get back for two runs, but it is a wide one and the ball runs away to deep third for an overthrow as well.

Ouch! That must have hurt. Nathan Smith bowls a heavy ball, into the pitch and angles it in from around off stump. Nitish Kumar Reddy stands back to pull again but is rushed by the extra bounce and gets an inside edge onto the left shoulder. There's a cry of anguish from Reddy as well.

SIX! Off the top edge, and sailing way over the ropes. A skiddy short ball now, in and around off. Nitish Kumar Reddy swings hard at the pull and gets a top edge that flies over the keeper's head for a six.

Wide! Too high. Banged in short and around off, and this one sails over the batter's head.

SIX! A much better connection this time from Reddy. Fuller in length, angled into the leg pole. Nitish gets the front leg out of the way and tonks it over deep mid-wicket for a six.

DROPPED! A valiant effort from Bevon Jacobs and he even gets to the ball, but can't pouch it. Back of a length and over middle, another example of some extra bounce as Nitish Kumar Reddy gets rushed into the pull and miscues it badly towards mid-wicket. The ball hangs in the air for a while and Jacobs comes charging in from the deep. He puts in a lunging dive but the ball hits his wrists and goes down. Two taken.

Banged in a bit short and around off, Patel looks to make room and go over point but gets a top edge down to deep third for a single.

Tidy bowling from Fisher. Really full and angled across the left-hander. Axar Patel sits down and smothers it away on the full to deep backward point for a run more.

Fisher hits the deck hard, bowling it around the top of off. Nitish Kumar Reddy moves around in his crease before swatting it down, wide of mid off or just a single.

Axar misses another flick. Length ball, landing it around leg stump. Patel stays back and looks to work it away but the ball brishes off the pads and rolls down to fine leg for another leg bye.

Fuller in length and around off, Reddy doesn't quite get under it and drives it straight to mid off for a quick run.

Good-length delivery, targeting the pads. Patel gets pegged back and cramped for room, getting it off the pads to square leg for a leg bye.

A tad fuller and on off stump, darting it back in. Reddy pushes it down to the left of mid on and picks up a single.

FOUR! Uppish, but just through the gap, and India end the Powerplay at 61/4. Milne hits a hard length and angles it across off, Patel hits on the up and slices it wide of the mid off fielder, and the ball skips away to the fence.

Full-pitched delivery on off stump, at 140 clicks. Axar Patel drives it wothout much timing to mid off.

Back of a length and around off, hitting the deck hard. Nitish Kumar Reddy presses back and glides it down to deep third for a single.

OUT! BOWLED! Milne says, 'You miss, I hit,' and sends the Indian skipper packing. Adam Milne goes a bit fuller and bowls it faster at the stumps, around middle and leg. Shreyas Iyer hangs deep but moves around in the crease a bit too much, eventually backing away to go over the off side but he is undone for pace. The ball shatters into the stumps, and India are reeling at 56/4, still needing 204 more for the win.

FOUR! A bit fuller and sliding into the pads, Iyer plays a nice leg glance and gets it fine down to the fine leg fence and picks up a boundary.

Milne bowls it back of a length, in line with the stumps. Shreyas Iyer hops back and defends it down the pitch.

At 141 kph, on a good length, on the fourth stump line. Iyer rides the bounce by hopping on the toes and glides it to the left of deep third. Adam Milne gets across and cuts it off. One run taken. 13 runs and a wicket off the over.

At the pads, full in length, whipped off the back foot to deep square leg for a single.

Smidge fuller on leg, Axar steers it to the mid-wicket region.

OUT! CAUGHT BY SANTNER! Fisher gets his moment of redemption. He bangs the length in hard around off and draws extra bounce out of the surface. Abhishek Sharma looks to lift it over mid off, but the ball rises quicker than expected and he can only skew it straight to Mitchell Santner. Having spilled one earlier, Santner boots the ball away in frustration before celebrating the wicket. The dangerous Abhishek is gone, and India slip to 50/3, still needing 210 from 93 balls.

Wide! A skiddy delivery at 143 kph, a wee bit short and down leg. Abhishek shapes up to tickle it fine on the leg side, but misses. 50 up for India, and they need 210 runs to win.

FOUR! PUNISHED! Putting the new bowler under the pump right away. Back of a length, around off, Abhishek gets the front leg out of the way to make room and slaps it over mid off for a cracking boundary.

SIX! Welcome to the attack, mate! Short of a length on middle and off, Abhishek picks the length in a trice and pulls it massively behind deep backward square leg for a biggie.

FOUR! Just gets it through! A full toss at the leg stump by Nathan. Iyer thumps it through wide mid on. It teases the fielder who chases from mid on but beats his slide for a four.

Cannons in a full ball, on middle, Sharma tries to hoist it downtown, but fails to get under it and the ball squirts off the inner half to deep backward square leg for a single.

Skiddy delivery on the leg stump line, on a good length. Abhishek shuffles inside the line to help it behind to the leg side but misses.

Attacks the stumps by bashing it hard on a length. Iyer knocks it down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Edged away. This is pitched up a bit wide of the off stump. Shreyas Iyer gets across a bit and looks to loft it down the ground but gets a thick outside edge that flies down to deep third for a boundary.

Back of a length, around off, Iyer hops back and crunches it between cover and point. The ball just loses its steam in the outfield and is hunted down by the sub fielder, Devon Conway. Two runs taken.

At 142 kph, it’s dug in short and angled into Abhishek after pitching outside leg. He hops across the line, rolls his wrists and steers the pull through backward square for a couple.

A yorker at the toes, Sharma digs it out towards mid-wicket.

FOUR! Misfield by Smith. This is something you don't associate with New Zealand. Duffy drags it shorter and fires it outside off, Abhishek hangs back and pulls it away over mid-wicket. Smith charges in too hard to his right, loses his footing, slides past the ball and concedes four.

In the air... PUT DOWN! Brave effort by Santner. He did all the hard work, but just couldn't get the hold of it. Pitched up and wide outside off, Abhishek steps forward, looking to clear the infield, but the bat twists in his grip and he slices it off the toe end over mid off. Santner gives chase from the inner ring, running over his left shoulder. He keeps himself side-on to his left and dives near long off, only for the ball to burst through his hands. Two runs taken.

Swing and a miss! Short and angled across with extra bounce. Abhishek tries to flay it over cover-point, only to miss.

At the pads, shaping in, Iyer whips it to long leg for a single.

FOUR! Too good! Fuller delivery, on the leg stump, Abhishek Sharma jams the bat down and just jabs it over the bowler's head for a boundary. Before anyone could even move a muscle, it rifles to the fence.

Lovely timing, brilliant fielding. And chance of a run out, missed. Good cricket overall. Too full by Adam, around off, Iyer pummels it back past the bowler's left, but Santner plunges into the pool to his right from mid off and makes a fantastic stop. He is quick to spot that Abhishek is a bit slow off the blocks and releases a flat throw to the keeper's end. Tim Seifert runs forward but fails to collect the throw cleanly, allowing Sharma to skate in safely.

Fired on a fuller length, on the leg stump line, Abhishek misses his flick and the ball rolls off the front pad to the square leg region. They sneak in a leg bye.

Smartly bowled! Seeing Abhishek shuffling to the leg side to open up the off side, Milne spears in a full ball, far outside off, Sharma has a swing and a miss.

A smidge full and on the leg stump, Abhishek whips off the pads, playing it aerially. The ball drops in the vacant deep mid-wicket region and just slows down in the outfield. It is chased by the sweeper and the batters pick up a couple.

At the pads, full in length, shaping in, Abhishek clips it to deep fine leg for a couple of runs to get off the mark.

FOUR! Helped behind! Short of a length, at the hips. Iyer uses the pace by getting across and tickles it to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Double whammy for Duffy. The Kiwis are right over the Men in Blue now. Jacob goes full and on the leg stump line, Kishan drops to one knee, looking to whip it away, but shuts the bat face too early in the attempt. Hence, the ball takes the cue end of the bat and bobbles back to the bowler. Jacob Duffy keeps his cool, backtracks a bit and takes a simple return catch with a reverse cup. India are 4/2, chasing 260.

Beaten! Hits the deck really hard, does Duffy, outside off, Kishan tries to flay it over point but the ball wobbles away to beat his angled bat.

Too full on off, shaping in a touch, Kishan drills it to mid off.

OUT! TOP EDGE AND CAUGHT! Four and out for Samson. The extra bounce does the trick for Duffy. He bangs it very short on top of the stumps, and extracts more bounce off the surface. Sanju backs away again to play the pull shot but the ball gets really big on him and he ends up spooning it off the top edge, over the keeper. Tim Seifert lurks under the swirling ball and takes a fine diving catch. India are 4/1, needing 256 runs.

FOUR! Back to business! Full from Duffy, swinging away from middle to off, Sanju backs away to make room, maintains his shape and lofts it over extra cover for an effortless boundary. India and Samson are off the mark in style!