IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: Rinku Singh makes strong comeback, smashes 21 runs in an over
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: Rinku Singh makes strong comeback, smashes 21 runs in an over")
Rinku Singh Photograph: (AFP)
India began their 2026 T20I season with a strong win, defeating New Zealand by 48 runs in the first match of the five-game series on Wednesday (Jan 21).
In the first T20I between India and New Zealand at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, middle-order batter Rinku Singh on Wednesday ( Jan 21) made a strong return to international cricket. He scored an unbeaten 44 off just 20 balls, hitting four fours and three huge sixes. Before this match, Rinku last played a T20I against Australia in November, but that game was washed out due to rain. Prior to that, he featured against England in February last year, where he managed to score only nine runs.
In today's match, Rinku played a crucial role in the final over of India’s innings, smashing Daryl Mitchell for 21 runs. Mitchell started the over with a length ball, which Rinku stepped out and struck straight down the ground for a six. Mitchell then tried a slower delivery, but Rinku powered it over mid-wicket into the stands for another six. He went on to hit two more boundaries as India collected 21 runs from the last over.
Alongside Rinku, Abhishek Sharma continued his excellent form with a brilliant 84 off 35 balls, including eight sixes and five fours. Captain Suryakumar Yadav added 32 off 22 balls, while Hardik Pandya contributed 25 off 16 balls. Overall, India’s batting looked strong, which is a positive sign for the team management with the World Cup just a month away.
IND vs NZ, 1st T20I
India began their 2026 T20I season with a strong win, defeating New Zealand by 48 runs in the first match of the five-game series on Wednesday (Jan 21). Abhishek Sharma stole the spotlight with a fine knock of 84 runs and helped his team take a 1-0 lead in the series. The victory was a perfect start for India as they head into their final series before the T20 World Cup, which will begin on February 7 on home soil.
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