The five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand has officially gotten underway. In the opening match being played in Christchurch, India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and invited the hosts New Zealand to bat first.
Explosive Start by Finn Allen and Tim Seifert
New Zealand opened their innings with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert taking to the crease. While Tim Seifert was dismissed after scoring 24 runs from 17 balls, Finn Allen continued his aggressive style of batting from the other end.
Finn Allen Targets Axar Patel
Whether facing fast bowlers or spinners, Finn Allen targeted everyone and began hitting boundaries at will. In particular, he launched big shots against spinner Axar Patel, which put India captain Shreyas Iyer under pressure as Axar Patel was proving to be quite expensive in his spell.
The Turning Point in the Eighth Over
Just as things were looking tough, Axar Patel came in to bowl the eighth over of the innings and completely changed the game. In this very over, Finn Allen had smashed another massive six against Axar Patel.
Tilak Varma Takes the Catch
However, Axar Patel took no time in getting his revenge after conceding the six. On the very next delivery, Finn Allen attempted to hit another maximum, but the ball took the top edge of his bat and was caught safely near the boundary by Tilak Varma.
Misses Half-Century by Just Five Runs
Thus, following a blistering start, Finn Allen missed out on his half-century by a mere 5 runs. Finn Allen was dismissed after scoring 45 runs off 24 balls for New Zealand, an innings in which he struck 5 fours and 2 sixes.
