Rohit Sharma rues India loss to NZ: Were outplayed in all departments

A dejected India skipper Rohit Sharma after being dismissed for one against New Zealand in Wellington yesterday. Pic/PTI

India skipper Rohit Sharma said that a line-up with eight specialist batsmen should have chased down the 220-run target set by New Zealand, however steep it might have looked for a T20 match.

India folded for 139 in 19.2 overs collapsing to their worst-ever defeat by 80 runs in the first T20 International here yesterday. "It was a tough game. We were outplayed in all three departments. We didn't start well and we knew that 200 wasn't going to be an easy chase," Rohit said after the match. Yesterday's defeat was India's third T20 loss in the Kiwiland. Hosts New Zealand beat India 2-0 in the 2008-09 bilateral series.

"We have chased such [big] targets in the past and that is why we played with eight batsmen. But we didn't have [even] small partnerships and that made it tougher. New Zealand though played well, they had partnerships. We need to go to Auckland, have a look at the conditions and take it from there," he added.

Outplayed 1-4 by India in the five-match ODI series, Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson was happy to finally see his team produce a "complete performance" in the first T20I.

"Fantastic performance all around, everyone rose and it was one of those complete performances that you search for. The top-order were superb and we built partnerships that helped us," Williamson said.

"But it has finished now, we move on in a day's time and we have another game. Hope we can keep the momentum through the series having set the tone." Batting first, unheralded wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert took the Indian bowling apart blasting 84 off 43 balls as New Zealand posted a commanding 219 for six.

With the crack opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma (1) and Shikhar Dhawan (29) departing within the Powerplay overs, the chase became a difficult one and India were all out for 139 in 19.2 overs. MS Dhoni (39 off 31 balls) did play his part but it was always an impossible chase with wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end. India's previous worst was a 49-run loss to Australia back in 2010.

India's biggest losses in T20Is (by runs)
'80 runs: v New Zealand at Wellington in 2019
'49: v Australia at Bridgetown in 2010
'47: v New Zealand at Nagpur in 2016
'40: v New Zealand at Rajkot in 2017
'31: v Australia at Sydney in 2012

Three
Hardik and Krunal Pandya became the third pair of brothers to play an international match together for India after Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath and Irfan and Yusuf Pathan

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