Rohit Sharma, Axar Patel star as India complete 3-0 series sweep

After securing the series victory, India completed the 3-0 whitewash in Kolkata with a thumping 73-run win over New Zealand in the final T20I. Rohit Sharma led from the front with the bat, scoring his second half-century of the series to take India to 184, before Axar Patel (3 for 9) ran through the Kiwi top order with his left-arm spin to give India their biggest win over New Zealand in T20I’s.

After opting to field first in the first two T20I’s, India won the toss and batted first in the final encounter to challenge themselves to defend a total, which they ended up doing quite comfortably. KL Rahul was afforded a rest for the third T20I, giving Ishan Kishan a chance to open alongside Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai Indians pair got off to a flying start as they scored 69 runs in the first six overs, the highest powerplay score of the series. 

The duo targeted Lockie Ferguson, who struggled to find his rhythm and lengths and conceded 30 in his 2 overs in the powerplay. New Zealand eventually stemmed the flow of runs through stand-in skipper Mitchell Santner, who dismissed Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the same over before getting Rishabh Pant to miscue a slog sweep to long-on six balls later.

Rohit Sharma brought up his 26th T20I half-century off only 27 deliveries but was sent back to the pavilion after an excellent reflex catch by Ish Sodhi off his own bowling for 56. Shreyas and Venkatesh Iyer temporarily steadied the innings with a brisk partnership before India flexed their batting depth as Harshal Patel (18 off 11) and Deepak Chahar (21 off 8) made important contributions at the death that powered India to 184.

With the threat of dew looming large, Rohit Sharma brought on the spinners in the powerplay itself, and the move turned out to be a masterstroke as Axar Patel struck twice in his opening over. Daryl Mitchell skied one to cover while Mark Chapman was undone by sharp turn from Axar Patel and a terrific stumping from Rishabh Pant.

Axar also added a third in the powerplay – castling Glenn Phillips for a duck – to leave the Kiwis reeling at 30 for three after five overs. The only resistance from New Zealand came from the blade of Martin Guptill – who creamed Yuzvendra Chahal for four boundaries on his way to a half-century from 33 deliveries. 

Chahal eventually had the last laugh, getting Guptill to hole out to long-on for 51 which signalled the end of the Kiwi innings. From then on, it was a procession with Ishan Kishan effecting two run-outs from the boundary before Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar wiped out the tail to give India a comprehensive 73-run win.