Southee shines as NZ beat India by 10 wickets
165 & 191. And 20 Indian wickets in between. The Kiwis trumped the No.1 Test team with an outstanding performance at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Coming out to bat again on Day 4, the New Zealand openers took less than two overs to clear the deficit and steer the hosts to victory.
Blundell and Latham knock off the runs to give New Zealand their 💯th Test win! 🎉 👏
— ICC (@ICC) February 24, 2020
A great all-round performance by the hosts to take a 1-0 series lead 🏆 #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/Rab1LpS8P1
Here are the five talking points of the first Test match:
Kane Williamson leads from the front
Coming out to bat at No.3, the skipper didn’t allow the visitors to gain any momentum despite the hosts losing an early wicket. Kane Williamson registered a sublime 89 before he found Ravindra Jadeja at covers off Shami.
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor have played some sublime shots in the evening session.
— ICC (@ICC) February 22, 2020
New Zealand are on the verge of taking the lead.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/QnIEhgSJGs
Tim Southee finishes with second-best match figures
The ‘Man of the Match’ was at his splendid best with the ball throughout the first Test. Tim Southee took four wickets in the first innings and followed it up with a five-wicket haul to finish with overall figures of 9/110.
Five-wicket haul No.🔟 for Tim Southee 🎉
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2020
India are all out for 191 and New Zealand require the simple matter of nine runs to wrap up victory.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/gwnF8x8Kcw
Ishant Sharma leads the pace attack with a fifer
The Indian bowlers failed to apply much pressure on the Kiwi batsmen. However, Ishant Sharma stood up as the leader of the pack. He showed his experience bowling at the right lengths and went on to pick his second five-wicket haul at Wellington.
The fun comes to an end with Ishant Sharma picking up his fifth wicket of the innings 🎉
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2020
New Zealand all out for 348 with a 183-run first innings lead.
Can India bat their way back in to this game?#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/vIue6aNTCR
Ishant Sharma at Basin Reserve, Wellington.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2020
2014 - 5-wicket haul ☑️
2020 - 5-wicket haul ☑️#TeamIndia #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/E3YLO1T1YZ
Mayank Agarwal scores a fifty
With India trailing by 183 runs, they needed someone to inspire confidence at the top. Mayank Agarwal played a lone hand as he tried to extend his stay at the crease with wickets falling constantly at the other end. The opener got out for 58 finding a thin edge against Southee in the second innings.
FIFTY!
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2020
A well made half-century for #TeamIndia opener @mayankcricket on Day 3 of the 1st Test.
This is his 4th in Test cricket 👏👏
Live - https://t.co/tW3NpQIHJT #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/7bPL9bbWyJ
Fifty for Mayank Agarwal!
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2020
He has played with authority in India's second innings in Wellington. Will he make it a big one?
Follow #NZvIND 👉 https://t.co/UxqdaHZ14g pic.twitter.com/L9w261hQkV
Trent Boult comes back with a bang
Coming back from injury, Trent Boult was in scintillating form in both the departments. With the bat, he troubled the Indian bowlers with a quickfire 38* (24) batting at No.11. After getting Shaw early, Boult managed to get the important wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to leave India reeling. The left-arm pacer ended up with figures of 4/39 in the second innings.
Trent Boult is having some fun!
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2020
He's on 36 from just 22 balls 🔥
Can he reach a second Test fifty?#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/aQUBuF6Ku8
India failed to cross the 200 mark in both innings as New Zealand won by 10 wickets. The visitors will look to make amends in the final Test match as both teams head to Christchurch for the final game of the tour in search of 60 crucial points.