After a series-levelling win on a tricky Lucknow track, Hardik Pandy’s Team India has arrived in Ahmedabad for the decider, scheduled to be played on Wednesday. The second game on Sunday was a low-scoring affair but still turned out to be a nail-biter. Chasing 100 runs initially seemed easy, but when the New Zealand spinners began to get through, the situation turned intense. However, a match-winning stand between captain Hardik Pandya and vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav took the hosts home safely.
On Monday, the Indian team arrived in Ahmedabad for the final fixture of the New Zealand series. The members of the team received a traditional welcome at the hotel. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan tried to pull off Prithvi Shaw’s cap but the trick failed as the latter resisted while getting welcomed by the hotel official.
The BCCI shared the video of their arrival on social media and wrote, “Hello Ahmedabad. We are here for the third & final T20I of the #INDvNZ series.”
Though India registered a nervy six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second T20I, captain Hardik Pandya criticised the ‘spin-dominating’ pitch here, calling it shocker of a wicket and not suitable for T20 cricket.
Indian bowlers — Arshdeep Singh (2-7), Yuzvendra Chahal (1-4), Kuldeep Yadav (1-17), Deepak Hooda (1-17), Washington Sundar (1-17) and Hardik Pandya (1-25) — produced a sensational performance to restrict New Zealand to 99/8 in 20 overs.
Chasing a small total on a challenging pitch, India were also in trouble after they were reduced to 50/3 in 10.4 overs but Suryakumar Yadav once again showed his class.
Yadav played a crucial knock (26 not out off 31), stitched vital partnerships with Washington Sundar (10) and Hardik Pandya (15 not out), and eventually hit the winning boundary for India in the last over.
“To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket. Both the games we have played so far. I don’t mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but these two wickets are not made for T20. Somewhere down the line the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches earlier,” Hardik Pandya said in the post-match presentation.
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