New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was disappointed after the Black Caps ran out of luck yet again during a super over in the third T20I against India at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma smacked back to back sixes off Tim Southee in the Super Over to seal the match and the series for India. The Men In Blue now have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the ongoing five-match series. This is also India’s first T20I series win in New Zealand.
It’s disappointing not to cross the finishing line: Williamson
“Super overs haven’t been too successful for us, so we needed to be a little bit better to win it in regular time. A great game of cricket, India again showed their experience in crunch situations. It is a really important experience for us to take from and move on.
“We bowled well after they got off to a superb start. There was something in it for the bowlers, but both sides maximized the shorter side of the boundary towards the scoreboard and made a very good game of cricket. Very disappointing after coming off from an effort like that. It was nice to spend some time in the middle and build some partnerships because starting on this deck wasn’t easy. It was disappointing not to cross the finishing line. It is a game of small margins. It was a much better performance from us. Eden Park was not bad, we spoke about getting 15-20 more, and that’s a couple of good decisions away”, said Williamson while talking to presenter Laura McGoldrick after the match.
Handshakes after a Hamilton thriller. #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/5V9AgzbBes
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 29, 2020
India had posted 179 for five on the board after being asked to bat first at Seddon Park with Rohit Sharma scoring 65 while captain Virat Kohli made 38.
The Black Caps matched the score thanks to Williamson’s quickfire 95, which included eight fours and six sixes, the most he has ever hit in a T20I inning.
Williamson also set the new record for most 50-plus scores in T20Is as captain with his 9th half-century, taking a clear lead from his Indian counterpart Kohli and South Africa captain Faf du Plessis.
Both New Zealand and India will now travel to Wellington to play the fourth match on Friday, while the final game will be played in Mount Maunganui on February 2.
