END OF OVER:20 | 18 Runs | IND: 179/5 | RR: 8.95
- Ravindra Jadeja10 (5b)
- Manish Pandey14 (6b)
- Tim Southee4-0-39-0
- Hamish Bennett4-0-54-3
Meanwhile, the race for the ISL playoffs is hotting up, with ATK, FC Goa and champions Bengaluru FC all but there. There's one more spot up for grabs, and a team in contention is the youthful one at Odisha Fc. Read here about how their Catalan coach Josep Gombau has made them tick since his time at the club formerly named Delhi Dynamos.
Tharindu: "Difference is Bennett's 27-run over. Without it India would have been in trouble."
Gold: "I don't understand why Scott and Colin only got 2 overs each when they were so economical? Some of these NZ tactics really confuse me."
9.29pm New Zealand need 180 to win. It's an interesting sort of target, given that India were 77 for no loss after seven overs. Having gone at 11 an over until then, the last 13 overs only produced 102 runs at 7.85 per over.
Did India bat exceptionally in the first seven before coming back to a normal rate of scoring on a slow, grippy pitch? Or did they underachieve after the start they had? The bowling definitely improved in the latter part of the innings, with the spinners stifling the scoring with intelligent lines and changes of pace, and the fast bowlers using the slower ball effectively. Alagappan will be back very soon to bring you the chase.
Southee to finish, right-arm over to the left-hander.
END OF OVER:19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 161/5 | RR: 8.47
- Ravindra Jadeja1 (1b)
- Manish Pandey7 (4b)
- Hamish Bennett4-0-54-3
- Tim Southee3-0-22-0
Ravindra Jadeja is in at No. 7
V Kohli c Southee b Bennett 38 (31m 27b 2x4 1x6) SR: 140.74
Bennett.
Vishal: "I feel that the team wants to balance with at least 1-2 left handed batsman. as a result once Pandya is fit, Pant might find a spot as a batsman, with Dube and Pandey making way for the other two."
END OF OVER:18 | 9 Runs | IND: 151/4 | RR: 8.38
- Manish Pandey2 (2b)
- Virat Kohli34 (24b)
- Tim Southee3-0-22-0
- Mitchell Santner4-0-37-1
Rohan: "@Shane: Disagree strongly. Rohit is the difference in this match right now. This is not an easy pitch to score off. I reckon 160 will be plenty."
Neil Chakravart: "Kohli was just caught on stump mic saying "165 bahut hai" (165 is more than enough). Interesting to see how they approach these last few overs" -- The pitch has definitely slowed down.
Here's Manish Pandey. Southee returns to the attack.
END OF OVER:17 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 142/4 | RR: 8.35
- Virat Kohli28 (20b)
- Mitchell Santner4-0-37-1
- Ish Sodhi4-0-23-0
SS Iyer st †Seifert b Santner 17 (20m 16b 0x4 1x6) SR: 106.25