India vs New Zealand: Conway sets the platform, Mitchell's crucial knock and other talking points from 1st T20I

New Zealand had the last laugh in the first T20I against India in Ranchi on Friday, beating the hosts by 21 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Fifties from Devon Conway (52) and Daryl Mitchell (59*) took the Kiwis to 176 after being put to bat first, a total they successfully defended with the help of bowlers.

The Indian top-order failed to get going, and had to rely on Suryakumar Yadav (47), Washington Sundar (50), and a cameo from skipper Hardik Pandya (21 off 20 balls).

The hosts did not get off to a flying start in the chase, having lost three wickets in quick succession and being restricted to 33/3 in the powerplay phase.

Hardik Pandya and Co will look to improve on certain aspects as they aim to crawl back into the series, in Lucknow on Sunday.

Let’s now take a look at five talking points from the series-opener:

Clinical Washington Sundar

Game time is important for players like Washington Sundar as the team management looks towards youngsters with the 2024 T20 World Cup in their sights, and the 23-year-old impressed pretty well in the first T20I against New Zealand, despite his team going down.

Sundar was introduced by Hardik as early as in the third over of the Kiwi innings, and struck twice in the fifth over of the innings, getting rid of opener Finn Allen and Mark Chapman, after New Zealand had got off to a brisk start. Sundar’s dismissal of Chapman caught the eye of many, taking a one-handed stunner off his own bowling to see off the Hong Kong-born cricketer.

WHAT. A. CATCH