Following a brilliant 2-1 win in the ODIs against Australia, the Indian cricket team found their next challenge in New Zealand in what seemed like a rigorous tour. For a team that had enjoyed a dominating run in the home season, India were not only wary of their opponents but also faced a tough task of getting used to the conditions in a relatively shorter span of time.

But, on 24th January, the marauding Indian team laid all doubts to rest after producing a dominating performance in the 1st T20I at Eden Park. Continuing their fine run this year, Virat Kohli's men began the five-match T20I series with an emphatic six-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead.

Asked to bat first, the home team got off to a good start with both Martin Guptill (30) and Colin Munro (59) coming out all guns blazing against the Indian bowling attack. But, Shivam Dube gave the visitors a key breakthrough after getting Guptill caught by Rohit Sharma, whose acrobatic fielding at the fence pegged the Kiwis back.

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Chasing over 10 runs an over, the 'Men in Blue' were handed an early blow by Mitchell Santner who sent the dangerous Rohit Sharma (7) back into the hut in only the second over of the Indian innings. With their key batsman back in the pavilion, the onus was on KL Rahul (56) and Kohli (45) who stabilised the Indian run-chase with a vital partnership of 99 runs for the second wicket.

But, just when the visitors appeared to be cruising in the run-chase, Ish Sodhi dismissed Rahul after getting caught by Tim Southee in the 10th over. The Indian team, further, found themselves in a spot of bother after losing skipper Kohli a few overs later. The likes of Shivam Dube (13) and Shreyas Iyer (58*) did try to keep India in the hunt, but the former's dismissal in the 14th over, gave an opportunity for the Kiwis to come back into the match.

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