Who won India vs New Zealand 1st T20I? Check IND vs NZ Man of the Match Award winner

India and New Zealand faced off each other  in the first T20I of the three-match series in Ranchi. It was a game that saw the visitors outclassing the Hardik Pandya-led side in all three departments to win the first game by 21 runs and take 1-0 lead in the series.

IND vs NZ 2023: New Zealand pounds India by 21 runs to take 1-0 lead in the series 

India won the toss and decided to field first. Their decision to bowl first didn’t pay off as Fin Allen (35) took them to cleaners in the power play and smashed almost every bowler in the first six overs. But Washington Sundar pulled the breaks and took two wickets in the 5th over.

Devon Conway the struck a decent fifty and a brutal half-century by Daryll Mitchell  in the end and remained unbeaten on 58 runs that powered New Zealand to the total of 176 runs. For India Sundar was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with the figures 2/22.

Chasing the target, it was a horrendous start for India as they lost Ishan Kishan (4), Rahul Tripathi (0) and Shubman Gill (7) inside the first four overs and were left tottering at 15/3. But after that Suryakumar Yadav (47) and Hardik Pandya (21) steady the Indian ship but they perished soon and left their side at 89/5

The onus was then on Washington Sundar and Deepak Hooda (10) to take India home. But that couldn’t happen as they lost wickets in clusters. Sundar fought till the end and scored 50 runs but this wasn’t enough as they lost the game by 21 runs.

IND vs NZ: Who won Man of the Match Award in first T20I between India and New Zealand 

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell was awarded Man of the Match in the first T20I between India and New Zealand. The right-hander played staggering innings with the bat and powered his side to the total of 176 runs, which at one moment seemed impossible. He played an unbeaten innings of 59 runs in 30 balls and smashed 3 fours and 5 sixes in his innings.