Sanju Samson scored a half-century while Shreyas Iyer, Naman Dhir and Abhishek Sharma chipped in with cameos as Men in Blue chased down 225 in the final over to seal a 4-wicket win. Glenn Phillips top scored for New Zealand with 82 but the total was not enough as India took a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series. It is India's highest successful chase in the format.
Sanju, Naman star in run chase
Samson anchored the chase with a brilliant 67 off just 33 balls, smashing eight fours and four sixes. His aggressive batting at the top of the order gave India a strong start and laid the foundation for the successful run chase.
Shreyas Iyer contributed a crucial 42, while Axar Patel added 24 runs to keep India in contention. Naman Dhir played a decisive role towards the end, remaining unbeaten on 42 to guide India across the finish line with two balls to spare.
Phillips powers NZ to 225
Earlier, New Zealand posted an imposing total of 225 for four after being put under pressure by the Indian bowling attack. Glenn Phillips led the visitors' batting effort with an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls, striking eight fours and three sixes. Finn Allen also made a valuable contribution, scoring 45 runs to help New Zealand set a challenging target.
However, India's determined batting performance proved decisive as the hosts successfully chased down the target in the final over. The victory gave India an early advantage in the five-match series and highlighted the team's batting depth under pressure.
With Samson's explosive innings and important contributions from Iyer, Patel and Dhir, India began the series on a winning note, while New Zealand will look to bounce back in the second T20I.
