AUCKLAND: Shreyas Iyer emerged as a new star of Indian cricket when his calm, unbeaten half-century clinched a six-wicket win for his team over New Zealand in a high-scoring first Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland.

Iyer scored his second Twenty20 international half century with 58 not out and finished the game with his third six as India reached 204-4 to chase down New Zealand’s 203-5 with an over to spare.

India came to the 19th over needing 18 runs to win. Iyer hit a six off the first ball from Tim Southee, hit a four from the next ball, and knocked off all 18 runs to guide India home.

K.L. Rahul and captain Virat Kohli put on 99 runs in 50 deliveries for the tourists, who only arrived in New Zealand on Tuesday after completing a 2-1 one-day series victory over Australia on Sunday.

“It’s really amazing coming from overseas after a little home tour,” Iyer said. “It’s a great feeling to win the game and be not out, especially.

“We had lost two quick wickets in succession and it was really important for us to build a partnership at that point of the game because we knew the boundaries are a little bit short and we could cover the run-rate any time. That’s what we had communicated in the team and fortunately it worked out.”

Rahul was brilliantly caught by Tim Southee at midoff for 56 before Martin Guptill produced an even more spectacular catch at deep midwicket to dismiss Kohli for 45 to give the hosts a sniff of an upset.

India’s deep batting lineup, however, ensured that they cantered home with a measured run chase full of quality.

New Zealand’s innings included half centuries for Colin Munro, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson.

After Munro put on 80 for the opening wicket with Guptill (30), the loss of the left hander for 59 and Colin de Grandhomme within the space of three deliveries stalled New Zealand’s momentum.

Williamson (51) and Taylor (54 not out) however prospered after two fielding errors by Yuzvendra Chahal and the pair scored 61 runs in 28 deliveries to put their side in a strong position at 178-4 with three overs remaining. Some superb death bowling by Jasprit Bumrah, who rolled his ankle badly when he stood on the seam of the drop-in pitch, and Mohammed Shami ensured they did not kick on.

The second game of the five-match series is also at Eden Park on Sunday.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

M.J. Guptill c Sharma b Dube 30

C. Munro c Chahal b Thakur 59

K.S. Williamson c Kohli b Chahal 51

C. de Grandhomme c Dube b Jadeja 0

L.R.P.L. Taylor not out 54

T.L. Seifert c Iyer b Bumrah 1

M.J. Santner not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-5) 6

TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 203

FALL OF WKTS: 1-80, 2-116, 3-117, 4-178, 5-181.

DID NOT BAT: T.G. Southee, I.S. Sodhi, B.M. Tickner, H.K. Bennett.

BOWLING: Bumrah 4-0-31-1 (2w); Thakur 3-0-44-1; Mohammed Shami 4-0-53-0 (3w); Chahal 4-0-32-1; Dube 3-0-24-1; Jadeja 2-0-18-1

INDIA:

R.G. Sharma c Taylor b Santner 7

K.L. Rahul c Southee b Sodhi 56

V. Kohli c Guptill b Tickner 45

S.S. Iyer not out 58

S. Dube c Southee b Sodhi 13

M.K. Pandey not out 14

EXTRAS (W-10, NB-1) 11

TOTAL (for four wkts, 19 overs) 204

FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-115, 3-121, 4-142.

DID NOT BAT: R.A. Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, S.N. Thakur, Y.S. Chahal, J.J. Bumrah.

BOWLING: Southee 4-0-48-0; Santner 4-0-50-1 (2w); Bennett 4-0-36-0 (1w); Tickner 3-0-34-1 (1nb, 1w); Sodhi 4-0-36-2 (5w).

RESULT: India won by six wickets to lead five-match series 1-0.

UMPIRES: S.B. Haig (New Zealand) and C.M. Brown (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: A. Mehrotra (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shreyas Iyer.

SECOND MATCH: Auckland (N), Jan 26.

THIRD MATCH: Hamilton (N), Jan 29.

FOURTH MATCH: Wellington (Westpac Stadium, N), Jan 31

FIFTH MATCH: Mount Maunganui (N), Feb 2.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2020