Colin Munro was the star of New Zealand as he scored 72 runs off of 40 balls in the 3rd T20I match of India VS New Zealand. New Zealand won the series against India with four-run victory in Hamilton.
Munro scored 80 runs before he got out while Tim Seifert scored 43 off of 25 balls as the Black Caps concluded their superb batting performance by 212-4.
India, who previously leveled the 3-match series in Auckland by winning the 2nd match, stayed in the game until the last minute but was left hanging as they needed 16 runs from the final over.
Time Southee from New Zealand’s side, who gave 18 runs in the 18th over, managed to calm his nerves despite the final ball of the over went for a six as New Zealand celebrated their triumph of the series by 2-1.
India won the toss and opted to chase as they did in the first two matches held in Wellington and Auckland. However, after the outstanding batting stand of Munro and Seifert soon made it clear that the chase would not be easy.
Kuldeep Yadav removed Seifert but Munro stayed until he completed his ninth T20I fifty before Kuldeep Yadav again got the wicket.
From India’s side, Shikhar Dhawan fell early on but Rohit Sharma held the ground as he made 38 runs and Vijay Shankar kept the hopes up for tourists with his 43 runs.
After Shikhar was dismissed from the match, Rishabh Pant took over and gave his team momentum with three sixes. However, he was the first of the four wickets to fall as New Zealand hit hard.
The hosts were already on their way to victory as India needed 48 runs from the last three overs but after the first 3 balls of the 18th over went for 15 runs, the game was once again hanging in balance.
Scott Kuggeleijn gave out only 8 runs from the first five balls of the second last over but India’s hopes were kept alive by Krunal Pandya who thumped a six on the last ball over the bowler’s head.
However, all of Krunal Pandya’s efforts were in vain as Southee used his experience to gain the series win for New Zealand despite India hitting a six on the last ball of the last over.
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