Bumrah sparks India win over New Zealand to sweep T20 series 5-0
- Last updated: February 2, 2020 | 17:36
Master finisher Jasprit Bumrah took 3-12 from four overs as India beat New Zealand by seven runs in the fifth Twenty20 cricket international on Sunday to sweep the five-match series 5-0.
For the third match in a row New Zealand seemed to be coasting to victory before India, led by Bumrah, dragged themselves back into the match and won in a gripping finish.
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"The match got close at one point but we had the belief in ourselves that we could squeeze in one or two good overs and the match could get close," Bumrah said. "It was windy and we were trying to use the wind, use the longer side of the boundary and we had good communication out there."
New Zealand make India bat first in critical third T20
India made 163-3 batting first, a moderate total in good batting conditions, and New Zealand was 116-3 in the 13th over before it again self-destructed and lost six wickets for 40 runs to finish 156-9 after 20 overs.
Rahul smashes 50 as India coast home in second T20 against NZ to take 2-0 lead
The third and fourth matches were also New Zealand's to win before India forced them into Super Overs then snatched victory in the tie-breakers.
New Zealand seemed even more well-placed to win on Sunday when Ross Taylor and Tim Seifert made half centuries in a 99-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put the home team in a commanding position.
New Zealand needed 24 off the last two overs and 20 from the last, far beyond the abilities of its tail-enders.
Ish Sodhi hit two sixes in the final over, bowled by Shadul Thakur, but New Zealand couldn't reach its winning target.
The teams now meet in three one-day internationals starting on Wednesday and two Test matches.
Associated Pres/ Reuters