New Delhi: The rain-affected third and final Twenty20 International (T20I) at Napier’s McLean Park ended in a draw via the Duckworth-Louis method as India won the three-match series 1-0.
Bowling first, the Indian bowlers put in a brilliant performance, with Arsdeep Singh (4/37) and Mohammad Siraj (4/17) sharing eight wickets between them, and bundled out New Zealand for 160 in 19.4 overs. The host team lost eight wickets for just 30 runs.
Dion Conway (59) and Glenn Phillips (54) scored contrasting fifties for New Zealand. Both made a partnership of 86 runs.
Chasing 161 for victory, India were 75-4 after nine overs when rain forced the players out of the ground at McLean Park.
Due to continuous rain in Napier, the match could not be resumed. When rain stopped play, India were level with the DLS score and hence the match was declared a tie.
Siraj, who was one of the Indian bowlers to claim 4-17, was named man of the match.
“Batting on the wicket was not easy and I was prepared to bowl hard lengths which gave me the rewards. I prepared myself to bowl hard lengths and practiced a lot during the World Cup and I just kept my pace. Follow the plans. I always keep it simple. Just bowl hard lengths. Weather is not in our hands, happy to win the series,” Siraj said.
After scoring 124 runs at an average of 124 in 2 matches, Surya Kumar won the man of the series award.
“The way things have gone so far would have been really happy to have enjoyed a full game here but as Siraj said the weather is not in our hands. The pressure is always there and also, I enjoyed my batting. Enjoying, just going. Being there and expressing myself. Not carrying any baggage there. The intention and the vision will remain the same. We can only express ourselves by going out, one. Would have liked a full game, but that’s fine,” Surya Kumar said.
