Team India opener Rohit Sharma played a scintillating hand as they registered their first-ever T20I series win in New Zealand. Moreover, it was also their first super over win as Hamilton witnessed a cracker of a game in the middle of the week with fans turning up in huge number. Batting in super over for the first time, Rohit expressed that he was clueless at the start of the over.
Batting first, India banked on a superb opening stand between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul to set the platform for the big total. They added 89 runs for the first wicket in just nine overs with Rohit being the aggressor of the two. Although India lost three quick wickets to strive at 96 for three, but skipper Virat Kohli and the lower-order batters ensured they post a challenging total in the scoreboard.
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India win their first T20I series in New Zealand
New Zealand started strong in pursuit of 180 runs with Martin Guptill taking on Shardul Thakur in the first over. Although India drew the first blood, but Kane Williamson was brilliant with the bat once again showing that T20 cricket is not only about looking for big sixes. He played a fine knock of 95 runs but Mohammed Shami scripted a brilliant comeback in the last over defending nine runs to take the game to super over.
Kane Williamson kept up his brilliant display to set a target of 18 runs but Rohit Sharma was too good to overpower New Zealand and take India home. He smacked two consecutive sixes off the last two deliveries of Tim Southee to sail past the target and help the Men in Blues pocket the series with two matches to go.
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I didn't knew what to do: Rohit Sharma
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Rohit conceded that he was clueless at the start of the over. The dashing Mumbai opener also added that he was keen to get going after missing on the first two games. Although he was disappointed for throwing his wicket but seemed satisfied to help his side when it needed the most.
"Never done that before (batting in Super Over). I didn't know what to expect, whether to go from the first ball or just take a single, try and put pressure on the last three or four balls of the over. I just wanted to stay still and was waiting for the bowler to make a mistake (on the last two sixes). The pitch was good and I was trying to stay still, see what I could do.
Good performance with the bat, little disappointed at having thrown my wicket away though, should have carried on for a while. Wanted to bat normally, I hadn't got runs in the first two games, wanted to do well today. We knew we would win the series today if we win the match – in important games, the important players need to step up and get counted," Rohit Sharma said.
