New Zealand vs India, 2020: 1st T20I – KL Rahul's consistency in big chases, India's record chase, A game of half-centuries and more stats

India took 1-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series against New Zealand as they comfortably chased down the target of 204 in Auckland. Half-centuries from Colin Munro (59), Kane Williamson (51) and Ross Taylor (54*) helped the home side to finish with 203/5 in their 20 overs.

India lost the wicket of Rohit Sharma early on but KL Rahul (56) and Virat Kohli (45) shared a 99-run stand for the 2nd wicket in only 50 balls. After their dismissals, Shreyas Iyer took the responsibility of finishing as he scored 58* from 29 balls with five fours and three sixes.

All the statistical highlights from India’s 6-wicket win against New Zealand in the Auckland T20I:

Yet another 200+ chase for India:

204 – The 204-run chase by India in this game is their 3rd highest in T20I cricket and the 10th highest for any side. This is only the 2nd time New Zealand lost while defending a 200+ target. Australia chased down the 244-run target in the 2018 T20I also in Auckland which is also the highest ever chase in all T20s.

4 – This was the 4th instance of India successfully chasing down a 200+ target in T20I cricket; two times more than any other team. South Africa and Australia stand second on the list with two 200+ chases.

A game of batsmen’s fifties:

5 – As many as five players scored fifies in this match – Colin Munro 59 (42), Kane Williamson 51 (26), Ross Taylor 54* (27), KL Rahul 56 (27) and Shreyas Iyer 58* (29). This is the first-ever instance of five players scoring 50+ runs.

1 – Three players scored fifties for New Zealand in this match; the first-ever instance of three players with 50+ scores for New Zealand in a T20I game.

2 – New Zealand’s innings is the 8th instance of three players scoring 50+ runs in the same T20I innings. However, this is only the 2nd time where a team lost with three players with 50+ scores in a T20I. The other such instance was recorded by South Africa during the 2016 WT20 game against England.

A fifty after six years for Taylor:

2014 – The fifty in this game was Ross Taylor’s first in the T20I format since his 62 against South Africa in the 2014 WT20. Between these two fifties, Taylor scored 701 runs with a best score of 48.

6028 – Ross Taylor completed 6000 runs in the Twenty20 format when he went past his individual score of 26. Taylor is only the 3rd player from New Zealand to aggregate 6000+ T20 runs.

Santner @ 50:

50 – Mitchell Santner completed 50 wickets in T20I cricket by dismissing Rohit Sharma. He is only the 3rd player from New Zealand to take 50 T20I wickets in Men’s cricket after Tim Southee (75) and Nathan McCullum (58).

The man of 200+ chases:

3 – KL Rahul scored 50+ runs in all the three instances of batting in the 200+ run-chases in T20I cricket. Previously, he scored an unbeaten 110 off 51 balls against West Indies during a 246-run chase and a 40-ball 62 also against West Indies during a 208-run chase last month.

A good start for Rahul – The keeper:

1 – KL Rahul is the first Indian player to score a fifty in his maiden T20I match as wicketkeeper in Men’s cricket. Overall, he is the 6th player to score 50+ runs in maiden matches a keeper in this format. His score of 56 is the 4th highest among the six players and the highest by a player from a full-member nation.

2012 – The last instance of an Indian wicketkeeper opening the innings in a T20I match was Parthiv Patel in 2011 against West Indies. Naman Ojha (Twice in 2010 Zimbabwe tour) is the other Indian to open the batting while playing as a keeper.

Bumrah and Chahal move up the chart:

54 – Jasprit Bumrah (54) and Yuzvendra Chahal (53) occupy the first two spots in the list of leading wicket-takers for India in Men’s T20Is. Chahal was tied on 52 with Ravichandran Ashwin before this game. He levelled with Bumrah on 53 after dismissing Kane Williamson but Jasprit moved ahead with the wicket of Tim Seifert five balls later.