Indian pacers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, restricted New Zealand to 156 for nine while defending 163 for three (Photo Credit: Twitter @BCCI)
New Delhi:
India completed a 5-0 whitewash of the T20I series with a seven-run win in the fifth and final match on Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah was the hero for India with a tight spell of three for 12 from four overs at the Bay Oval. Bumrah, who has not performed at his usual standards so far in this series, got his groove back and helped India become the first team to register a series sweep in a bilateral five-match T20I series.
Jasprit Bumrah also created a world record during the match. He became the first bowler in T20I cricket to bowl seven maiden overs, going past Sri Lanka's Nuwan Kulasekara who had bowled six overs without conceding a run during his 58-match long career. Bumrah was adjudged the player of the match.
In the match, India choked New Zealand yet again to turn it around for a seven-run win. The Indian pacers, led by Bumrah, shared seven wickets among them for 25 runs in match-changing 7.2 overs to restrict the Kiwis to 156 for nine while defending 163 for three.
India's total was built around stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma' 60-run knock after they elected to bat. Tim Seifert (50) and Ross Taylor (53) kept the Black Caps in hunt for a consolation win but the hosts again fell near the finish line.
This is only third time that India have whitewashed opponents in away T20 series and first time in a five-match rubber. India had blanked the West Indies 3-0 in 2019 and beat Australia 3-0 in 2016.
