Published: 12:00 AM, 17 March 2016
'Nightmare for Team India'
NAGPUR, India, 16 Mar- World Twenty20 hosts India were accused of complacency Wednesday after the tournament's red-hot favourites were brought down to earth in a stunning opening-match defeat to New Zealand. After winning 10 of their last 11 matches, India were bowled out for just 79 their lowest total on home turf by an unheralded New Zealand team who had made a below-par score in Nagpur late on Tuesday.
All of India's leading batsmen had been in fine form in the lead-up to the tournament but on a turning pitch, they were unable to cope with a trio of New Zealand bowlers, including the rookie Mitchell Santner. The left-arm spinner, who has been playing international cricket for less than a year, took four for 11. Ish Sodhi, a 23-year-old leg break bowler who was born in northern India, took three for 18 in his four overs.
As a procession of batsmen trudged back to the pavilion, the stadium rapidly emptied before India were put out of their misery in the first ball of their penultimate over. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who top-scored with 30, felt let down by his fellow batsmen who had been expected to comfortably chase down the Black Caps' meagre total of 126. "There were quite a few soft dismissals and there was no partnership at all," said Dhoni in his post-match press conference. "The bowlers did a good job by restricting them to 126. I feel it was the batting department that could have done slightly better it was a 140
wicket." -AFP
All of India's leading batsmen had been in fine form in the lead-up to the tournament but on a turning pitch, they were unable to cope with a trio of New Zealand bowlers, including the rookie Mitchell Santner. The left-arm spinner, who has been playing international cricket for less than a year, took four for 11. Ish Sodhi, a 23-year-old leg break bowler who was born in northern India, took three for 18 in his four overs.
As a procession of batsmen trudged back to the pavilion, the stadium rapidly emptied before India were put out of their misery in the first ball of their penultimate over. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who top-scored with 30, felt let down by his fellow batsmen who had been expected to comfortably chase down the Black Caps' meagre total of 126. "There were quite a few soft dismissals and there was no partnership at all," said Dhoni in his post-match press conference. "The bowlers did a good job by restricting them to 126. I feel it was the batting department that could have done slightly better it was a 140
wicket." -AFP
