IND vs NZ: Harshal Patel becomes second Indian to be dismissed hit-wicket in T20Is

Harshal Patel became only the second Indian batter after KL Rahul to be dismissed hit-wicket in a T20I when he ended up smashing the stumps with the bat while trying to cut a Lockie Ferguson delivery during the third and final T20I against New Zealand at Kolkata’s Eden Garden. Patel, who made his international debut in Ranchi in the previous T20I, played a handy knock of 18 off 11, including a solitary six and two fours, before falling bizarrely in the penultimate over.

Earlier in the day, Rohit Sharma made it a hat-trick of toss wins but opted to change the template of chasing in a bid to challenge the team. India, who lead the series 2-0, have won the encounters in Jaipur and Ranchi while chasing.

The decision in Kolkata bore instant fruits when Rohit, continuing his love affair with the Eden Gardens, took off immediately alongside Ishan Kishan, who came in for rested KL Rahul, as the duo belted 69 in merely 38 balls before Kishan fell for 29 to Mitchell Santner, who led New Zealand in the absence of their rested stand-in skipper Tim Southee.

Rohit continued his rich vein of form in the series, smacking three sixes and five fours in his 31-ball 56, but had to walk back when Ish Sodhi plucked a reflex one-handed blinder in the 12th over. Despite the rollicking start, India were pegged back after their skipper’s exit, while Suryakumar Yadav bagged a four-ball duck, having fallen in the same over as Kishan immediately after the powerplay.

Santner, the pick of the bowlers, found his third prey of the night in Rishabh Pant, who miscued him to mid-on. That was when the Iyers – Venkatesh and Shreyas – joined along in the middle to rebuild with a 36-run sixth-wicket partnership, scoring twenties before their departure to ensure India had a platform to capitalize and charge at the death.

An 8-ball 21 from Deepak Chahar alongside a few lusty blows from the hit-wicket man Patel pushed India to 184/7. Adam Milne had to bear the brunt of Chahar’s assault who hit him for two fours and a six in the 19-run final over to swing the momentum towards India in the end.