Chapter 20 : Winning T-20 Series

As the New Zealand openers walked onto the field, the crowd at Eden Park roared in support, hoping for a strong chase from the home team. Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips took their positions, knowing they had a massive task ahead. India had posted 197, and they needed an explosive start.

Commentator 1: "A huge chase ahead for New Zealand. If they want to pull this off, they need a solid powerplay."

Commentator 2: "Exactly. The pressure is on their openers, Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips. Both are talented stroke-makers, but with 198 to chase, they'll have to be at their very best."

Avesh Khan took the new ball, running in with his usual aggression. The first over was tight, with Avesh hitting the deck hard and getting some swing early on. New Zealand cautiously got through the over, taking a couple of singles.

In the second over, Khaleel Ahmed came steaming in and struck immediately! A full delivery swung back in and crashed into Glenn Phillips' pads. The Indian players went up in a loud appeal, and the umpire raised his finger!

Commentator 1: "GOT HIM! First breakthrough for India! Glenn Phillips is trapped in front, and New Zealand loses an early wicket!"

Commentator 2: "That's a dream delivery for a left-arm pacer! Swung in late, beat the inside edge, and it's curtains for Phillips!"

Finn Allen, now joined by captain Josh Finnie, tried to counterattack. In the fourth over, he stepped down the track and smashed a six over long-off, showing his intent. But just two balls later, he mistimed a pull shot, sending it straight to deep square leg!

Commentator 1: "Gone! Finn Allen tried to take on the short ball, but he's picked out the fielder perfectly!"

Commentator 2: "India is all over New Zealand right now! They're striking at the right moments, and this chase is looking more difficult by the minute."

With New Zealand at 43/2 in 6 overs, the required run rate was creeping up. Rachin Ravindra and Josh Finnie tried to rebuild, taking calculated risks against spin. Washington Sundar came into the attack, and Ravindra lofted him over extra cover for a boundary.

Commentator 1: "Lovely shot! Rachin Ravindra plays through the line and gets a much-needed four."

Commentator 2: "They need more of these. The asking rate is climbing, and New Zealand has to keep finding boundaries."

In the 11th over, Ishan Kishan handed the ball to Advay Rai. It was his first time bowling in international cricket, and he needed to keep things tight.

Advay ran in, his first ball angling into the right-hander at a good length. Finnie leaned forward to drive, but the ball held its line and beat the edge.

Commentator 1: "Oh, that's a beauty! Advay Rai, on debut, beats the outside edge with his very first delivery!"

Commentator 2: "Not bad at all! He's bowled a wicket-to-wicket line, and the batters aren't finding him easy to score off."

Advay continued bowling with discipline, varying his pace and maintaining tight lines. The pressure built, and New Zealand struggled to keep the scoreboard moving.

By the end of his spell, he had bowled 4 overs, conceding only 12 runs, choking New Zealand's momentum.

Commentator 1: "What a spell from the young man! No wickets, but he's done exactly what his captain would've wanted—kept it tight and built pressure."

Commentator 2: "Absolutely. With a high chase like this, sometimes containing runs is as valuable as taking wickets."

New Zealand tried to counter in the final five overs, but the required run rate had gone too high. Wickets continued to fall as Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed returned to clean up the lower order.

By the final over, it was clear—India was going to take the win. New Zealand finished their innings at 174/7, falling short by 23 runs.

Commentator 1: "And that's it! India takes the win in the first T20 by 23 runs!"

Commentator 2: "A dominant performance from the boys in blue! A sensational opening stand, disciplined bowling, and a fantastic debut for Advay Rai. This is a perfect start to the series!"

As the Indian players shook hands with the New Zealand team, the energy was high. They had executed their plans perfectly, securing an emphatic victory.

As the match concluded, the players walked off the field, exchanging handshakes. The crowd at Eden Park gave a loud cheer, appreciating the competitive game. The presentation area was set up near the boundary, and Ishan Kishan and Josh Finnie stepped forward for the post-match interview.

The interviewer smiled as she turned toward the Indian captain. "Ishan, congratulations on the win! A fantastic batting display from you and Advay Rai. How do you feel about the team's performance?"

Ishan, still slightly breathless from the intense game, grinned. "Thank you! It was a really good performance from the boys. We had a clear plan—bat first, put up a strong total, and then bowl with discipline. Advay played an outstanding knock on debut, and the bowlers executed their plans well. It wasn't easy out there, but we handled the pressure well."

The interviewer nodded. "Speaking of Advay, he scored a century on debut. What was your conversation with him like in the middle?"

Ishan chuckled. "We just kept it simple. The idea was to settle in and then accelerate. We backed ourselves, and once we got a feel of the pitch, we decided to take the attack to the bowlers. Advay played like a seasoned player today, and I really enjoyed batting with him."

The interviewer then turned to Josh Finnie, the New Zealand captain. "Josh, a tough loss today, but your team showed a lot of fight. What are your thoughts on the match?"

Josh gave a small smile, shaking his head. "Yeah, credit to India. They played really well today. I think their openers batted superbly and took the game away from us in those last 10 overs. We tried our best in the chase, but we lost a few key wickets at the wrong time. That made it really difficult to keep up with the required run rate."

The interviewer nodded. "Despite the loss, were there any positives you'd like to take from this game?"

Josh nodded. "Absolutely. I think Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra played some good cricket in the middle overs. There were also some positives in our bowling—Nathan and Ben bowled well early on, but we couldn't contain them later. It's just the first game of the series, so we'll look at what went wrong and come back stronger."

The interviewer smiled. "Thank you, Josh. Ishan, before we wrap up, what's the mindset going forward for the next game?"

Ishan grinned. "Same as today—play aggressive, play smart, and enjoy the game. We won't get ahead of ourselves, but yeah, a win like this gives us confidence for the next match."

The interviewer thanked both captains before moving on to the Player of the Match announcement. The Indian team stood near the dugout, cheering as Advay Rai's name was called. It had been a memorable debut, and the series was just beginning.

The second T20 match was set up perfectly after India's strong start to the series. Eden Park was buzzing again, with fans eager to see if New Zealand could bounce back or if India would take an unassailable lead.

India won the toss again, and Ishan Kishan had no hesitation in batting first. The openers, Ishan and Advay, walked out confidently, knowing another strong start could put India in a commanding position.

New Zealand's bowlers looked more determined this time, adjusting their lengths early and not allowing the openers to go after them from the start. Advay took his time getting in, playing with soft hands and rotating the strike, while Ishan looked to take on the bowlers whenever he got the chance.

In the fifth over, Advay played a beautiful on-drive past mid-on for his first boundary, a shot filled with elegance and timing.

Commentator 1: "Oh, that's a classic! Full face of the bat, and it races to the boundary!"

As the powerplay progressed, the runs began to flow. In the ninth over, Advay pulled a short ball from Nathan Smith over midwicket for six, showing his aggressive side.

Commentator 2: "There's the Advay we saw in the last game! When he gets going, he looks effortless."

Advay looked set for another big innings, but in the 13th over, he mistimed a lofted shot straight to long-off and was dismissed for 52.

Commentator 1: "And he's gone! Looking to accelerate, but doesn't get the connection. A good knock comes to an end."

India kept pushing, with Rishabh Pant playing a late cameo, and finished at 176/6 in 20 overs.

New Zealand, chasing 177, looked a lot more controlled compared to the first game. Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips took their time, seeing off the first few overs cautiously.

Khaleel Ahmed gave India the first breakthrough in the fourth over, trapping Phillips LBW, bringing Josh Finnie to the crease. The New Zealand captain looked in good touch, smashing a few boundaries to keep the scoreboard moving.

By the 10th over, New Zealand was 82/2, well on track for the chase.

Ishan Kishan then turned to Advay to bowl the 12th over. The young all-rounder came in and stuck to his strengths, bowling tight lines and making scoring difficult.

On the fourth ball of his second over, he struck! A tossed-up delivery outside off tempted Finn Allen into an aerial shot, but he didn't get enough on it, and Washington Sundar took a simple catch at deep cover.

Commentator 1: "Taken! Advay Rai gets his first wicket of the series, and it's a big one—Finn Allen!"

Commentator 2: "That's smart bowling. He saw Allen stepping out and pulled the length back slightly, forcing him into a mistimed shot."

The wicket turned the momentum back toward India. Advay finished his spell with figures of 3-0-17-1, another economical effort.

New Zealand tried to fight back, but the required run rate kept climbing. In the final few overs, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed bowled brilliantly at the death, restricting boundaries and taking crucial wickets.

Despite a late burst from Nathan Smith, New Zealand fell short by 13 runs, finishing at 163/7.

Commentator 1: "That's it! India takes the second T20 by 13 runs, sealing the series!"

Commentator 2: "A tighter contest this time, but India held their nerve. Another solid contribution from Advay Rai with bat and ball, and the bowlers executed their plans perfectly in the end."

The Indian team celebrated as they shook hands with the New Zealand players. With a 2-0 lead in the series, they had already secured the trophy, but one match was still left to play.

The third T20 was a high-stakes game, even though India had already sealed the series. New Zealand was playing for pride, determined to avoid a clean sweep, while India wanted to finish strong.

Ishan won the toss again and chose to bat first. The Indian openers started well, with Advay and Ishan playing risk-free cricket early on. Advay looked in good touch, stroking the ball well and picking gaps efficiently. In the sixth over, he played a signature scoop shot over fine leg for six, much to the delight of the Indian fans in the crowd.

Commentator 1: "There's the scoop! We've seen it before from Advay Rai, and it's such a treat to watch!"

Commentator 2: "This young man plays it so effortlessly. He picks his moments perfectly."

However, New Zealand's bowlers were much sharper this time, adjusting their plans well. After the powerplay, they tightened their lines, forcing the Indian batters to take more risks. Advay looked set for another strong score but got out trying to accelerate, scoring in the 40s.

India kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and despite a quick 30 from Rishabh Pant, they only managed to put up 164/8 in 20 overs. It was a defendable score but much lower than the previous two matches.

New Zealand came out with intent in their chase. Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips attacked from the start, reaching 50 in just 5 overs. India fought back, with Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar picking up crucial wickets in the middle overs.

By the 15th over, New Zealand was 128/5, and the game was evenly poised. Advay was once again brought into the attack to slow things down. He bowled two tight overs, conceding only 9 runs, keeping India in the game.

The match came down to the final over, with New Zealand needing 12 runs to win. Khaleel Ahmed had the responsibility of defending it. He started well, giving away just 3 runs off the first three balls. But on the fourth ball, Josh Finnie stepped across and scooped it for six!

With 3 needed off 2 balls, Finnie calmly flicked the next delivery to the leg side for two runs, leveling the scores.

India needed a dot ball or a wicket off the last ball to push the match into a Super Over. Khaleel bowled a full delivery outside off, but Finnie guided it past backward point for a single, sealing the victory for New Zealand by 5 wickets.

Commentator 1: "And there it is! New Zealand finally gets a win in the series! What a thrilling finish!"

Commentator 2: "A brilliant last-over chase, and the hosts have something to celebrate! India fought hard, but Josh Finnie held his nerve to take his team home."

Despite the loss, the Indian team walked off with their heads high, having already won the series. It had been a thrilling contest, a perfect end to a competitive three-match series.