New Delhi: Team India, led by newly-appointed skipper Rohit Sharma, defeated New Zealand by five wickets in Ind vs NZ 1st T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series on Wednesday. For India, Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav starred with the bat as they played an important role in helping India win.
India registered its 50th win while chasing, in the T20 format. The Men in blue scripted history as they are the first-ever team to attain this big feat. When it comes to chasing down a target to win a T20 match, Pakistan, India and Australia had won 49 matches until India vs New Zealand 1st T20I, but now Indian has gone ahead.
After the match, Rohit Sharma admitted that the win over Black Caps in 1st T20I did not come easy but said the players would learn from the experience. India were on top the entire time during the chase but things got a little tight in the last four overs but Rishabh Pant's heroics took India past the target in penultimate over.
"It didn't come as easy as we expected, so great learning for the guys, to understand what needs to be done, not about power-hitting all the time," Rohit Sharma said at the post-match presentation.
"As a captain and a team, happy that those guys finished the game off. A good game for us, missing a few players, opportunity to other guys to show their ability."
Rohit said a "complete bowling performance" stopped the visitors post a 180-plus target.
"Sky (Suryakumar) is a very important player for us in the middle, plays spin well," said Rohit who scored 36-ball 48.
On his Mumbai Indians teammate Trent Boult dismissing him, Rohit said said, "Trent Boult knows my weakness, I know his strength. When I am captaining him I always tell him to bluff and that's what he did. Happy with the win, first win, always nice."