India clinched a dramatic four-wicket victory against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday, surviving a tense mid-innings wobble to complete a historic chase and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 international series.

Earlier in the match, the hosts made full use of favorable conditions after being put in to bat, posting an imposing total of 225-4. The score marked New Zealand's highest T20 total against India on home turf, powered primarily by an explosive, unbeaten 82 from Glenn Phillips off just 40 deliveries and a rapid 45 by Finn Allen. India's bowling attack struggled to keep the scoring rate in check, with every deployed bowler conceding 10 runs or more per over, including veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who leaked 49 runs without taking a wicket in his return after a four-year absence from T20 internationals.

Facing a daunting 226-run target, Indian openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma ignited the chase with a destructive 93-run partnership. Samson led the charge with a blistering 67 off 33 balls, guiding India to a commanding 94-1 in the powerplay. However, New Zealand hit back aggressively in the middle overs by removing three key wickets in quick succession, briefly swinging momentum back in favor of the hosts.

Captain Shreyas Iyer stabilized the innings with a composed 42 off 28 balls before Naman Dhir provided the finishing touch, remaining unbeaten on 42 to guide India over the line with two balls to spare at 19.4 overs. Reflecting on the result, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner lamented his side's early defensive lapses in the powerplay, while looking ahead to adjustments for the second match of the series, set to take place in Christchurch on Saturday.

Source: www.aljazeera.com