LIVE India vs New Zealand 1st T20I MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Abhishek Sharma and bowlers hand India a comfortable 48-run victory in the first T20 international against New Zealand at the VCA Stadium. n the first innings, courtesy Abhishek Sharma’s well-made 84 and Rinku Singh’s blistering 44 not out, India put on a massive total of 238/7 in 20 overs against New Zealand.
Abhishek missed the three-figure mark as he gets dismissed for a well-made 84 off 35 balls. With this half-century, the world no.1 T20I batter continued his red-hot form in the shorter format. The five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand will serve as a final dress rehearsal before the much-awaited T20 World Cup 2026.
Date: 21 January, 2026, Wednesday.
Time: 7:00 PM IST.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur.
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kristian Clarke, Zakary Foulkes.
India (238/7) beat New Zealand (190/7) in the first T20I at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. With this win, the hosts have taken a one-nil lead over the Kiwis in the five-match T20I series.
Shivam Dube’s golden hand proving to be a thorn in flesh of New Zealand as visitors lost the track in 239 chase. Two in two for Dube! Daryl Mitchell (28) and debutant Kristian Clarke (0) go back to the pavillion and India are on the verge of taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Big over for NZ! Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell are trying their best to take New Zealand closer to India’s total. The Kiwi duo looted 15 runs off Jasprit Bumrah’s third over. Santner and Mitchell smashed India’s premier bowler for three boundaries. As per his standards, Bumrah had an off day in the field. New Zealand 181/5 in 18 overs vs India
Second wicket for Varun! Mark Chapman’s decent knock comes to an end and with that, New Zealand’s hopes are diminishing to hunt this total down. Varun bowls another one in the middle and Chapman comes down the track to loft but it goes straight into the air and Abhishek Sharma takes an easy catch. NZ 144/5 vs IND (238/7) in Nagpur
OUT! Glenn Phillips holes out at long-on as Axar Patel strikes. India will be happy to see Phillips’ back as he was putting on quite a show for the fans with his towering sixes. A flatter delivery on middle, Phillips goes back on the back foot and pulls but couldn’t clear the fence. Big wicket for India! New Zealand 136/4 in 14 overs vs India
Fifty! Glenn Phillips is single-handedly keping New Zealand in the chase with his attacking knock. After completing his half-century, the burly Kiwi smashed Shivam Dube for two sixes in one over to entertain the Nagpur crowd. IND 110/3 in 12 overs vs NZ in Nagpur
Two productive overs for New Zealand! Phillips and Chapman are getting a move on here in Nagpur and they are somewhat trying to revive New Zealand’s chase. Time for drinks. New Zealand are well behind the asking rate. But Phillips is looking dangerous, interesting to see NZ’s strategy from here onwards!
Varun Chakaravarthy Strikes! Tim Robinson gives a dolly to Shivam Dube. The NZ batter comes down the track but fails to reach the pitch of the ball, a tame inside half of the bat and Dube grabs an easy catch at mid-wicket. New Zealand 54/3 in 7 overs vs India
It’s a tall ask for New Zealand and the visitors are finding it hard to get going under lights at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. A six to from Glenn Phillips to ease down some sort of pressure from the visiting team. Axar bowls a quicker one and Phillips goes really deep into the crease to hit it over mid-wicket. New Zealand 50/2 in 6 overs vs India
Hardik Pandya STRIKES! Rachin Ravindra has edged it straight to first wicket. Abhishek takes a good catch.
The home side have the early breakthrough. Arshdeep Singh has his first and that’s what India needed.
21 runs in the 20th over! Rinku Singh lives up to the finisher’s tag and showcased what India was missing by not including him in the playing XI. What a star he is! Two sixes and two boundaries off Daryl Mitchell and India put on a solid total on the board. It will take some getting from New Zealand to hunt this down on this belter of a Nagpur track. IND 238/7 in 20 overs vs NZ
Mixed over for India! Axar Patel failed to make the most of the opportunity as Kristian Clarke gets the big man. Slower ball and Axar holes out at long-off. Meanwhile, Rinku Singh gets two boundaries in the over of Clarke to lead India’s charge against New Zealand. IND 211/7 in 18 overs vs NZ
OUT! Jacob Duffy gets the big wicket of Hardik Pandya as the Indian finisher couldn’t keep clear the fence and gets caught at deep mid-wicket. Duffy’s change up delivery did the trick for New Zealand and Chapman completely a brilliant catch. India 187/6 in 16 overs
Kung-fu Pandya in action in Nagpur! New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was taken to cleaners by Hardik Pandya as he looted 14 runs from his third over. A boundary and a maximum and India is back in the driver’s seat. IND 182/5 in 15 overs vs NZ in Nagpur
OUT! Shivam Dube hits a six but Kyle Jamieson gets his man off the next delivery. The lanky left-hander once again failed to make a strong contribution. This was a great chance for Dube to showcase his long levers but he couldn’t live up to the expectations of the team management. India 168/5 in 14 overs vs New Zealand
OUT! Ish Sodhi gets the revenge, Abhishek miscues this one and Jamieson makes no mistake. Sodhi walks up to Abhishek and gives him a pat on the back for this incredible knock. It was a fuller delivery and in the slot but the bat turned in Abhishek’s hand resulting in the end of sensational innings. Fans loved every bit of him in Nagpur!
SIX! Back-to-back sixes from the Punjab dynamite! Abhishek Sharma is turning the heat in Nagpur and he’s toying with New Zealand bowlers. Flighted delivery on the stumps from Sodhi, Abhishek clears the front leg and muscles it over mid-wicket.
OUT! New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner does the trick as Suryakumar Yadav failed to convert his start into a substantial score. Santner got the better of India skipper for the fourth time in T20I cricket. Tim Robinson takes a decent catch!
Back to back fours! Captain Surya turns up the heat and takes the attack to New Zealand with consecutive boundaries. Sky has got a start, can he convert it into something big?
Abhishek Sharma, you beauty! The 25-year-old continues his red-hot form in T20I cricket as he notches up yet another half-century and in quick-fire fashion.
India vs New Zealand 1st T20I LIVE SCORE: Abhishek Sharma continues his form and smashes another one out of the park straight back
Ind vs NZ LIVE SCORE: India lose two now. Ishan Kishan too plays one in the air and is caught in the circle
India vs New Zealand LIVE SCORE: WICKET! Just when Sanju Samson was looking good, he chips one in the air and is caught for 10 off 7
India vs New Zealand LIVE: SIX! Abhishek Sharma gets on to the business straight away. He hammers one straight over the bowler’s head for a maximum
Playing XI-
India: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
IND vs NZ 1st T20I LIVE: New Zealand have won the toss and elected to bowl against India
India vs New Zealand LIVE SCORE: Probable XI-
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Varun CV, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
