Samson and Dhir Fire India to Record 226-Run Chase Over New Zealand in Christchurch
India hunted down 226 against New Zealand in the first T20I at Hagley Oval, their highest successful chase in the format, with Sanju Samson's 33-ball 67 setting the pace and Naman Dhir's unbeaten 42 off 15 sealing a four-wicket win with two balls to spare.
India pulled off their highest successful run chase in T20 internationals on Thursday, hunting down 226 to beat New Zealand by four wickets in the opening match of the five-game series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Chasing a stiff target after Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 82 off 40 balls had lifted New Zealand to 225 for four, India went after the total from the first ball. Abhishek Sharma launched the last delivery of the opening over for six — his record seventh first-ball six in the format — and Sanju Samson took the attack apart in the powerplay. The pair put on 93 in the first six overs, with India sitting at 94 for one after the fielding restrictions.
Samson reached his fifty in just 23 balls and finished with 67 off 33, decorated with eight fours and four sixes, before Mitchell Santner bowled him in the ninth over. When India's middle order wobbled to 122 for four, captain Shreyas Iyer's composed 42 off 28 steadied the chase — and then Naman Dhir delivered the decisive blow, smashing an unbeaten 42 from just 15 deliveries to finish the job in the final over.
New Zealand had earlier made the most of being sent in. Phillips struck three sixes in his unbeaten 82, Finn Allen blazed 45 off 24, and Bevon Jacobs added 31 off 16 in a run-fest that produced 455 runs. The Black Caps will rue 17 extras and wayward spells in the powerplay that left them chasing the game.
The second T20I is at the same venue on Saturday.