After a three month gap, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) international cricket stadium complex in Ranchi on Friday hosted the first T20 match of three match series. India skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to field against New Zealand in the first T20I tonight. India stuck with the opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, leaving out a returning Prithvi Shaw, while Kuldeep Yadav was preferred over Yuzvendra Chahal.
At the time of filing the report the Kiwis posted a target of 176 for 6 in 20 overs. Arshdeep Singh was the most expensive bowler giving 51 runs in four overs taking one wicket while one wicket went to Kuldeep Yadav. Daryll Mitchell scored 59 runs in 30 balls with three 4s and five sixes.
Earlier, despite a good start, New Zealand found themselves two wickets down against India in the first T20I. Washington Sundar struck twice in the fifth over to dismiss the dangerous looking Finn Allen (35) and Mark Chapman (0).
After clinching the three-match ODI series 3-0 against New Zealand, Team India now eye a winning start in the T20Is. In the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the hosts are led by Hardik Pandya, who earlier guided the team to 3-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the shortest format.
The JSCA stadium over three and a half months back had hosted an India-South Africa ODI in the second week of October.
The first of a three-match T20I series will only be the fourth such match to be played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex. Overall, it is going to be the 12th international match at this venue.
Interestingly, the last T20I here was also played between these two teams only. While New Zealand had lost its only Ranchi T20I, India have never lost a match in the shortest format here.
The fans were very excited to watch the game. The district administration had made elaborate traffic arrangements for the match. Several routes were diverted and also parking spaces were erected for visitors.
Anjali Gupta, a match lover said, “This is the first time that I am going to watch the game in an international stadium in Ranchi. We have heard a lot about the stadium as it is one the best stadiums in Country and also it is lucky for the home team.”
The second T20 match of the series will be played in Lucknow on January 29 and the third match in Ahmedabad on February 1. JSCA Stadium has proved lucky for the Indian team. So far three T20 matches have been held here and Team India has won all three. The first T20 match between India and Sri Lanka was played here on 12 February 2016, in which India won by 69 runs. On 7 October 2017, India defeated Australia by nine wickets in the second T20 match by Duckworth-Lewis method. On 19 November 2021, India defeated New Zealand by seven wickets.
