5th T20I, India vs New Zealand: As it happened

India won the toss and opted to bat first in the fifth and final inconsequential T20I of the five-match series at Bay Oval in Tauranga on Sunday.

Image Credits: Twitter/@BCCI

After Rohit Sharma smashed a crucial half-century, the Indian bowlers came to the fore to help the Men in Blue clinch a narrow seven-run win over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I and complete a five-match series whitewash at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Opting to bat first, the Men in Blue lost opener Sanju Samson cheaply for two runs before opening batsman KL Rahul (45) and Rohit joined forces and stitched a crucial 88-run partnership to take India past 100 runs. 

The visitors eventually posted a score of 163 for three in their stipulated 20 overs, with Shreyas Iyer (33) and Manish Pandey (11) remained unbeaten at the crease. Sharma was forced to retire hurt at 60 and KL Rahul came to lead the Indian side during New Zealand's innings. 

In reply, Tim Seifert (50) and Ross Taylor's (53) half-centuries went in vain as New Zealand were bundled out for 156 for nine by India. 

Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers for the Men in Blue as he finished with brilliant figures of three for 12. While Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini bagged two wickets each, Washington Sundar also chipped in with a wicket. 

Here are the highlights:

02 February 2020

16:10 PM

India beat New Zealand by seven runs to complete 5-0 series whitewash. New Zealand 156/9 (20 overs)

16:00 PM

WICKET!! Tim Southee came to bat for New Zealand and he was clean bowled by Jasprit Bumrah on the second ball of the 19th over. New Zealand 143/9 (19 overs)

15:55 PM

WICKET!!! After notching up a half-century, Ross Taylor (53) was stumped by KL Rahul on the first delivery of the 18th over by Navdeep Saini. New Zealand 140/8 (18 overs)

15:48 PM

WICKET!! It's two wickets in an over for Thakur. Scott Kuggeleijn was caught by Washington Sundar at down deep square-leg's throat on the fifth ball of the 17th over. New Zealand 133/7 (17 overs)

15:43 PM

WICKET!!! Mitchell Santner holed the third delivery of the 14th over by Shardul Thakur straight to long-on, only to see Manish Pandey take a good catch. New Zealand 132/6 (16.4 overs)

15:41 PM

FIFTY!! Ross Taylor has brought up fifty off 42 balls. He reached the mark by picking up a single on the third ball of the 16th over. New Zealand now need 35 runs from 24 balls. New Zealand 129/5 (16 overs)

15:32 PM

WICKET!!! Daryl Mitchell came to bat for New Zealand and he was clean bowled by Jasprit Bumrah on the last ball of the 14th over. New Zealand 119/5 (14 overs)

15:23 PM

WICKET!! Tim Seifert was caught by Sanju Samson at midwicket on the fourth ball off the 13th over by Samson. New Zealand 116/4 (12.5 overs)

15:21 PM

15 runs off the last two overs. Seifert (49) picked up six runs on the fourth delivery of the 11th over by Chahal before he pulled the fifth ball of the 12th over by Bumrah in front of square for four runs. New Zealand  113/3 (12 overs)

15:11 PM

Shivam Dube bowled the most expensive over of the match, conceding 34 runs to New Zealand. Seifert (36) smashed Dube for two sixes and a boundary before Taylor (41) hammered the Indian bowler for two back-to-back sixes. New Zealand 98/3 (10 overs)

15:03 PM

20 runs off the last two overs. Taylor (29) slugged the fifth ball of the eighth over away powerfully to the midwicket boundary for four runs before  Seifert (19) hit the third delivery of the ninth over by Yuzvendra Chahal towards the leg side for four runs. New Zealand 64/3 (9 overs)

14:53 PM

14:47 PM

19 runs off the last two overs. Ross Taylor (14) sent the first ball of the fifth over by Shardul Thakur away fine of long leg for four before  Seifert (8) flicked the fifth ball to the fine leg for a boundary. Taylor then hammered Navdeep Saini for back-to-back boundaries in the very next over. New Zealand 41/3 (6 overs)

14:46 PM

Ross Taylor is the new batsman in!

14:36 PM

WICKET!! There is a mix-up between the wickets on the second ball of the fourth over and Navdeep Saini took advantage of the same. Seifert slapped the ball to cover-point as Sanju Samson collected the ball passed it to wicketkeeper KL Rahul who rattled the stump to send back Tom Bruce (0). New Zealand 22/3 (4 overs)

14:33 PM

WICKET!!! Colin Munro was clean bowled by Washington Sundar on the third delivery of the third over. New Zealand 17/2 (3 overs)

14:31 PM

WICKET!! Jasprit Bumrah gave a breakthrough to India. Martin Guptill (2) was caught leg before wicket on the third delivery of the second over. New Zealand 7/1 (2 overs)

14:21 PM

Seven runs off the very first over. Guptill (2) got off the mark by whipping the second delivery off the back foot through midwicket for a single. Munro , on the other hand, opened his account with a single on the fourth ball before he slogged sweep the last delivery over midwicket for four runs. New Zealand 7/0 (1 over)

14:17 PM

Colin Munro and Martin Guptill have walked down the crease to begin New Zealand's chase. Washington Sundar to open the attack for India. 

14:11 PM

Innings Break!

14:10 PM

Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube remained unbeaten at their respective scores of 33 and 11 as India set 164-run target for New Zealand. India 163/3 (20 overs)

14:00 PM

WICKET!! Shivam Dube departed for five after being caught by Tom Bruce at long-on on the fifth delivery of the ninth over by Kuggeleijn. India 148/3 (19 overs)

13:53 PM

13:53 PM

Shivam Dube came to bat for India. 

13:43 PM

25 runs off the last two overs. Shreyas Iyer (25) smashed the last delivery of the 15th over by Santner towards extra cover for a maximum before he cleared Ish Sodhi at fine-leg on the third ball of the 16th over. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma (54) has brought up a half-century off 35 balls. He reached the mark by picking up four runs off a Sodhi delivery. India 131/2 (16 overs)

13:36 PM

Five runs off the last two overs. India have now crossed the 100-run mark, with Rohit Sharma (45) and Shreyas Iyer (9) currently batting at the crease. India 106/2 (14 overs)

13:25 PM

Shreyas Iyer is the new batsman in!

13:23 PM

WICKET!! KL Rahul (45) fell just five runs short of a half-century after being caught by Mitchell Santner at cover on the third ball of the 12th over by Bennett. India 96/2 (11.3 overs)

13:18 PM

Santner conceded 15 runs in the last over. Rohit (35) muscled the fourth ball of the 10th over towards the wide long-on for a boundary before Rahul (42) smashed the last ball of the over to the fine of short third man to add four more runs. India 84/1 (10 overs)

13:12 PM

Mitchell Santner was brought into the attack and he conceded seven runs before Ish Sodhi too gave away seven runs to India. Rohit Sharma (25) carved the fourth ball of the ninth over behind point for four runs. India 69/1 (9 overs)

13:07 PM

Just two runs off the first over by Ish Sodhi. India 55/1 (7 overs)

13:01 PM

Nine runs off the last over. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are currently batting at their respective scores of 33 and 13 as the Men in Blue have now crossed the 50-run mark. Rahul sent the first ball of the sixth over towards the backward square fence for six. India 53/1 (6 overs)

12:58 PM

The Men in Blue added  19 runs in the last two overs. KL Rahul (25) shoved the last delivery of the fourth over by Kuggeleijin down the leg side to score five wides before Rohit (12) pulled the last ball of the fifth over by Hamish Bennett square of short fine leg for four runs. India 44/1 (5 overs)

12:50 PM

Meanwhile, Kl Rahul has completed 200 runs in this series - which is the most by an India batsman in a bilateral T20I series.

12:48 PM

A quite expensive over by Tim Southee as he conceded 15 runs in it. KL Rahul (21) gloriously lifted the first ball of the over towards extra-cover for six before he smashed Rahul for two back-to-back boundaries on the third and fourth ball. India 25/1 (3 overs)

12:45 PM

Rohit Sharma is the new batsman in!

12:41 PM

WICKET!! Scott Kuggeleijn came to bowl the second over and he delivered for New Zealand by removing Samson for two. The Indian batsman was caught by Mitchell Santner at the short cover on the third ball of the second over. India 10/1 (2 overs)

12:35 PM

Eight runs off the very first over. KL Rahul (6) smashed the second delivery of the first over by Southee between backward point and cover to get off the mark with four runs. Samson (2), on the other hand, flicked the fourth ball to the leg side for two runs. India 8/0 (1 over)

12:32 PM

KL Rahul and Sanju Samson to open the innings for India. Tim Southee to open the attack for New Zealand. 

12:11 PM

Lineups: 

India: KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson, Rohit Sharma (capt), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand:  Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (wk), Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce,  Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner,  Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (capt),  Hamish Bennett,  Scott Kuggleijn

12:10 PM

Regular skipper Virat Kohli has been rested for the final T20I. This means, Rohit Sharma will lead the side. 

11:58 AM

India win the toss, opt to bat against New Zealand !

11:57 AM

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Ross Taylor is all set to play his 100th T20I. 

11:56 AM

The toss will take place shortly.