India vs New Zealand, 1st T20I: As it happened

Image Credits: Twitter/@BCCI

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul smashed half-centuries as India beat New Zealand by six wickets in the opening T20I of the five-match series at Eden Gardens in Auckland on Friday. 

For India, the five T20Is against the Black Caps came just a few days after the Men in Blue clinched a 2-1 ODI series win over the Aaron Finch-led team at home turf. India lost the first match by 10 wickets before they rebounded strongly to win the next two clashes by 36 runs and seven wickets, respectively. 

Heading into the series, preparation for the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup will be on top of the agenda for the Men in Blue. (Also Read: India vs New Zealand T20I preview, Auckland weather and Eden Park pitch report)

India will be without the services of their star opener Shikhar Dhawan due to a shoulder injury which he sustained during the Australia series. Sanju Samson was called up as Dhawan's replacement for New Zealand series. 

New Zealand, meanwhile, are coming into the serious on the back of the three-match Test series defeat at the hands of Australia. The Kane Williamson-led side will look to bounce back strongly and clinch the series against India. 

Here are the live updates:

24 January 2020

20:04 IST

Rhys Mariu and Ollie White have walked down the crease to begin New Zealand's chase. Kartik Tyagi to open the attack for India U19. 

15:52 IST

India beat New Zealand by 6 wickets!

15:50 IST

18 runs off the last over by Tim Southee, including two sixes and a boundary by Shreyas Iyer, as India chased down the target of 204 runs with six balls to spare. India 204/4 (19 overs)

15:38 IST

FIFTY!!! Shreyas Iyer has brought up a T20I fifty off 26 balls. He reached the mark the whipping the second ball of the 19th over by Southee to the fine leg boundary. India 196/4 (18.2 overs)

15:35 IST

The Men in Blue added 24 runs in the last two overs. Iyer (31) pulled back a boundary on the third ball of the 16th over before he smashed Tim Southee for a six in the 17th over. Manish Pandey (12), meanwhile, slogged the fifth ball of the 16th over towards midwicket for a boundary. India 175/4 (17 overs)

15:26 IST

India now need 53 runs off 30 balls, with Shreyas Iyer (16) and Manish Pandey (3) batting at the crease. India 151/4 (15 overs)

15:19 IST

WICKET!! Shivam Dube (13) looked to hit a six on the second delivery of the 14th over by Ish Sodhi, but ended up being caught by Tim Southee at long-on. India 144/4 (14 overs)

15:14 IST

Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube are currently batting at the crease. 

15:12 IST

WICKET!!! Virat Kohli (45) falls just five runs short of a half-century after being caught by Martin Guptill near midwicket on the first ball of the 12th over by Blair Tickner. India 129/3 (12 overs)

15:04 IST

WICKET!! Soon after bringing up his half-century, Rahul (56) was caught at long-off by Tim Southee on the last ball of the 10th over by Ish Sodhi. India 115/2 (10 overs)

15:01 IST

FIFTY!!! KL Rahul (54) has bought up a T20I half-century off just 23 balls. He reached the mark by hitting the fourth ball of the ninth over by Tickner  powerfully over long-on for six. Meanwhile, India have also crossed the 100-run mark. India 107/1 (9 overs)

14:47 IST

Kohli (33) slapped the fifth ball of the 7th over by Ish Sodhi over midwicket for four runs before KL Rahul (46) hammered Mitchell Santner for a six and a boundary in the next over. India now need 113 runs from 12 overs. India 91/1 (8 overs)

14:45 IST

Tim Southee bowled a quite expensive over conceding 16 runs before Bennett gave away eight runs to India. Rahul (29) smashed Southee for a maximum and four before Kohli (26) pulled the fourth delivery of the sixth over between deep square leg and deep midwicket for four runs. India have crossed the 50-run mark. India 65/1 (6 overs) 

14:30 IST

10 runs off the last over. Kohli (9) drove the fifth delivery of the second over through the line to long-off to open his account with a single before he smashed the second ball of the third over by debutant Hamesh Bennett over mid-on for a boundary. India 31/1 (3 overs)

14:23 IST

Skipper Virat Kohli comes to bat for India!

14:21 IST

WICKET!! Mitchell Santner gave breakthrough to New Zealand as early as in the very second over. Rohit Sharma (7) was caught by Ross Taylor at backward point on the fourth delivery of the second over. India 16/1 (1.4 overs)

14:14 IST

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have walked down the crease to begin India's chase. Tim Southee to open the attack for New Zealand. 

14:07 IST

Innings Break!

14:05 IST

New Zealand added 21 runs in the last two overs by Shami and Bumrah to set a target of 204 runs for India in 1st T20I. New Zealand 203/5 (20 overs)

13:52 IST

Mitchell Santner is the new batsman in!

13:50 IST

WICKET!!! Just four runs a wicket off the over by Bumrah. Tim Seifert (1) was caught by Shreyas Iyer at long-on the last delivery of the 18th over by Bumrah. New Zealand 182/5 (18 overs)

13:41 IST

WICKET!!! Soon after bringing up his T20I fifty off just 25 balls, Williamson (51) was taken by Indian skipper Virat Kohli near the point region on the lasyt delivery on the last ball of the 17th over.  New Zealand 178/4 (17 overs)

13:35 IST

Mohammad Shami conceded 22 runs to the Black Caps in the last over. Williamson (39) slapped the first delivery of the 15th over to the left of short fine leg for four runs before Taylor (31) hit Shami for a boundary and two sixes. New Zealand 165/3 (16 overs)

13:32 IST

A quite expensive over by Jadeja as he conceded 13 runs to New Zealand. Ross Taylor (14) stepped forward on the fifth ball of the 15th over reversed it to the right of short third man for a boundary before he slapped the very next ball over the square leg for six runs. New Zealand 143/3 (15 overs)

13:30 IST

Nine runs off the last over. Williamson (32) smashed the third delivery of the 14th over by Shivam Dube straight towards deep square leg for a maximum. New Zealand 130/3 (14 overs)

13:26 IST

Ross Taylor comes to bat at No.4!

13:23 IST

WICKET!! Ravindra Jadeja was introduced into the attack and he delivered in his very first over by removing Colin de Grandhomme for a duck. The New Zealand batsman was caught at short fine leg by Shivam Dube on the second delivery of the 13th over. New Zealand 117/3 (12.2 overs)

13:22 IST

Colin de Grandhomme comes to bat for New Zealand!

13:15 IST

WICKET!!! Soon after bringing up his half-century off just 36 balls, Colin Munro (59) was caught by Yuzvendra Chahal at square leg on the fifth delivery of the 12th over by Shardul Thakur. New Zealand 116/2 (11.5 overs)

13:12 IST

10 runs off the last two overs. Williamson (7) got off the mark by cutting the fifth delivery of the ninth over away behind point for a single before he lifted a Shivam Dube delivery in the next over inside-out over extra-cover for a maximum. New Zealand 91/1 (10 overs)

12:50 IST

The Men in Blue conceded 16 runs in the last over. Guptill (28) sent the first ball of the sixth over by Shami over square leg for a boundary before he lofted the last delivery over wide long-on for six runs. New Zealand  68/0 (6 overs)

12:48 IST

Eight runs off the last over. Guptill (15) smashed the first delivery of the fifth over past the right of a deep third man as New Zealand have crossed the 50-run mark. New Zealand 52/0 (5 overs) 

12:41 IST

Mohammad Shami gave away seven runs to New Zealand before Thakur bowled an expensive 18-run over.  Munro (31) swatted the fourth delivery of the third over in front of square for four runs before he smashed Thakur for two fours and a maximum in the very next over. New Zealand 44/0 (4 overs)

12:30 IST

Shardul Thakur came to bowl the second over and he conceded 12 runs in it. Guptill (10) smashed the second ball of the second over towards short fine leg for four runs before Munro (8) hammered the last delivery over mid-off for a maximum. New Zealand 19/0 (2 overs)

12:23 IST

Seven runs off the very first over. Guptill (5) got off the mark by pumping the second delivery of the first over by Bumrah over mid-off for a boundary, while Munro opened his account by picking up a single behind square on the leg side on the fifth ball. New Zealand 7/0 (1 over)

12:20 IST

Martin Guptill and Colin Munro will open the batting for New Zealand. Jasprit Bumrah to begin the proceedings for India. 

12:19 IST

The two sides have walked down the crease for their national anthems. 

12:18 IST

While Hamish Bennett will make debut for New Zealand, India have dropped Rishabh Pant from their Playing XI. 

12:01 IST

Lineups:

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli (capt), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Tim Seifert (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi,  Blair Tickner, Hamish Bennett

11:52 IST

India win toss, opt to bowl first against New Zealand in 1st T20I!