India vs New Zealand: Rohit Sharma on the cusp of historic records in 2nd T20I

After a comprehensive 4-1 win in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, India began their three-match T20I series with hopes of another win. However, they slumped to an 80-run defeat, their biggest T20I loss by runs.

The Kiwis’ set up a steep target of 220 runs and the visitor’s folded up for just 139 in response. It was poor performance all around for the Indian side.

India’s chase never got going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rohit Sharma, who is leading the side in the absence of the rested Virat Kohli, was the first one to go. The Mumbai batsman could contribute just one run his team’s cause before getting out to Tim Southee.

However, if Sharma’s remarkable consistency is anything to go by, he will be expected to get among the runs in the second T20I in Auckland.

And he is on the cusp of a couple of personal milestones if gets going.

Sharma needs only 35 runs to be the leading runs getter in T20Is. Black Caps’ openers Martin Guptill, who has been ruled out of the series due to an injury, is the lead T20I scorer with his tally of 2272 runs. The Kiwi is followed by Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik with 2245 runs.

Sharma needs just two sixes to complete 100 biggies in T20Is. He will become the third batsmen to achieve this feat after Guptill and Chris Gayle. The duo has 103 sixes each against their names.

After their humiliating loss in Wellington, India will be eager to find their groove back and tie the T20I series 1-1 on Friday to keep the series alive until the final match in Hamilton on 10 February.

First Published: Feb 07, 2019 22:03 IST