India didn’t score any runs in nine of their 20 overs against New Zealand.
By: Sports Desk |
Updated: November 1, 2021 10:55:37 am
New Zealand players celebrate the dismissal of India’s Rohit Sharma during the T20 World Cup match between New Zealand and India in Dubai. (AP Photo)
Team India was beaten convincingly by New Zealand after the men in blue set a paltry target of 111 for the Black Caps in their crucial Super 12 encounter on Sunday. It was spectacular bowling from New Zealand as none of the India batters could cross even 30 in the innings. Trent Boult was the pick of the bowlers with 3/20.
India’s score of 110/7 was also their lowest ever score batting first in a T20 World Cup. Their next lowest: 130/4 versus Sri Lanka in 2014 final. India’s poor performance was compounded by the fact that they played 54 dot balls. This meant that India didn’t score any runs in nine of their 20 overs.
There were no demons on the track but India’s shoddy show with the willow was a consequence of poor team selection, not relying on form players and the failure to have any flexibility in the side, which lacked proper multi-skilled cricketers. And true to ‘Murphy’s Law’ (it states “anything that can go wrong will go wrong”), it caught up with the team.
India’s miserable outing can also be gauged by the number of boundaries scored in the middle overs (7-16) – an astonishing – zero. In T20I history, when India have batted through the entire middle overs (7-15), they’ve only not hit a boundary on five occasions. Two have come this year: one tonight, and one v Sri Lanka in July.
India was rocked by early wickets but their numbers make for very grim reading. No team has a lower attacking shot percentage than India. Only Ireland, Papua New Guinea and the Netherlands have a worse timing rating (according to cricviz).
India failed to hit a boundary in the eight overs bowled between Kiwi spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner. In their combined spell of 8 overs, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi conceded only 32 runs and picked two wickets today.
Three of India’s six heaviest defeats in T20Is (in terms of balls remaining) have come in 2021-
No team has won the T20 WC unbeaten. However, for India to turn this stat around will be an arduous task from here.