Wellington, October 27: Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 89 off 52 balls carried New Zealand to 198 for 3 in the third T20I against India. India, who lead the series 2-0, need 199 to win. India won the toss and chose to bowl, but New Zealand scored freely after a quiet start, adding 75 runs in the last eight overs without losing a wicket.
India arrived at Hnry Stadium 2-0 up after two narrow chases, both won by four wickets in the final over.
Arshdeep strikes early, Allen hits back
Arshdeep Singh gave India the start they wanted, removing Tim Seifert in the second over. Seifert was caught by Axar Patel for 2, and New Zealand were 4 for 1.
Finn Allen then took the attack to India's bowlers. He hit five sixes in a 25-ball 40, all of his boundaries coming over the rope, before Nitish Kumar Reddy had him caught by Naman Dhir in the ninth over with the score on 90.
Glenn Phillips added 17 off 14 balls, including three fours, before Axar Patel held a return catch off the last ball of the 12th over. At 123 for 3, India had a chance to keep the target within reach.
Mitchell and Jacobs take control
Mitchell and Bevon Jacobs made sure they did not. The pair put on an unbroken 75 for the fourth wicket in eight overs. Mitchell hit five fours and five sixes in his 89, at a strike rate of just over 171.
Jacobs was just as quick. He made 39 not out from 23 balls with four fours and a six, including two fours in an over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and a six off Arshdeep. New Zealand did not hit a boundary in the final over, bowled by Prince Yadav, but still took eight runs from it, including a leg bye.
India's bowling
- Arshdeep Singh: 4-0-33-1, the most economical of the five bowlers
- Axar Patel: 4-0-36-1
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: 4-0-38-1
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 4-0-40-0
- Prince Yadav: 4-0-44-0
Each of the five bowlers went for at least eight runs an over, and India conceded 11 extras: seven leg byes and four wides.
The chase
India need 199 at just under ten an over. India's batting line-up includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel. Tilak's unbeaten 51 won the second match off the penultimate ball.
New Zealand's attack includes Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne and Matt Fisher, with Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell to bowl spin.
