Donovan Koch (Australia), Wayne Knights (New Zealand), Shaun Haig (New Zealand, TV)
Referee
Dave Gilbert (Australia)
Toss
New Zealand elected to bowl
OVS
Bowler :
No summary available yet!
104W11
Over 17
Runs: 7
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Over 18
Runs: 11
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Over 19
Runs: 6
02461wd24
Over 20
Runs: 19
All Overs
Player of the Match
Player of the Series
Lucky Winner
Analysis
Weather Update
Christchurch,New Zealand
Updated: 18 Oct 14:30
12.1°CClouds
56%
Clouds
10%
Rain %
10 kmph
Wind
Commentary
COMMENTARY NOT AVAILABLE
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
A damp squib as it turns out. But let's hope it's a lot better on Monday in the 2nd T20I as the two teams square off again. Plenty to take out of this game for both sides as they look to take the lead in a couple of days' time. For now, it's time for us to take your leave as we thank you for joining us and sticking with us throughout all the frustration of the rain. There's more cricketing action elsewhere though with the New Zealand women's team in action against Pakistan in a crucial World Cup clash in Colombo. The first ball is just minutes away so do switch tabs and follow our coverage of that game on this very platform. For now, this is the duo of Sourabh Agrawal and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Have a great weekend - buh-bye and see you again!
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand captain): "There was a little bit in it like I thought bowling first. The boys started extremely well with the new ball. It was pretty challenging there. Pretty good all-round performance. If it's doing a bit, it was good to use Duff up front. There wasn't a lot of spin but there was some hold. It's nice to be able to throw the ball to someone and they respond. I guess it's a building block for what is to come (with the T20 World Cup). India traditionally can be slow but it can also be flat. We've got a well-balanced squad. First thing is to win a series at home in front of our fans. It feels good, nice to be back with the lads. We pride ourselves on adapting. We were pretty clinical there to keep chipping away which is a massive part of T20 cricket."
Harry Brook (England Captain): "It (the wicket) did a bit to start with. Their bowlers are pretty skilled and experienced, specially Matt Henry and he made use of it. We wanted to adapt to the situation but with the depth that we have got in our batting we felt we could go for it all the way. Got some extremely powerful and talented individuals in our team, we can always accelerate in the end. We want to be quicker to adapt to conditions, pretty much everyone as a unit (on the learnings into the second game). It has been good (captaincy), we have a great bunch of lads. We have had a good time in New Zealand and we are looking forward to the next game."
10:19 PM Local Time (2:49 PM IST): Time for a chat with both the captains now..
We will hear from both captains shortly. Stick around folks!
10:12 PM local time (2:42 PM IST): Well, it does feel like a cruel joke given that the covers coming off promised some hope. But there's now official word that the match has been abandoned! We did not see this coming a when we posted the previous update that the covers were coming off but persistent rain has forced the match officials to make a decision. We were just 21 minutes away from reaching the cutoff time anyway and a call has been made.
Handshakes all around as it remains locked at 0-0 after the opener. New Zealand will be left wondering what could have been having turned in such a good bowling performance to restrict England to an under-par score. England will know they have work to do ahead of the next game and having gotten out of a corner here, they will hope to roar back with the second game also set to take place at this very venue.
10:08 PM local time (2:38 PM IST): Here's something that will please Marty - the covers are coming off! This sure is a pleasing sight after all this wait. Let's hope that there's some update on a resumption.
Marty: "NZ will feel robbed if this is rained out. They were in such control to win this." It's not over yet though, Marty. There is still some time left!
Here's Jimmy Neesham having a chat with Shane Bond on the sidelines with the umbrellas up: "It has been good, best of both worlds with the way it has been working with NZ cricket (about playing franchise cricket as well as international cricket). At this stage, at 35 years old, trying to have as much as freedom as possible and then being available for the marquee events for New Zealand. I remember when I came into the team 10-12 years ago, the conditions in places like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were a bit of an unknown but now you can play tournaments like the BPL and have an idea and also share it with the group. For me, it is about being the second or third seamer or at home being a part of even a 4-seamer attack. It is about being as tangible as possible. As far as goals go, there are two world cups coming in the next two years. It is tough (balancing time with the family), perhaps the toughest part of this. It used to be 7-8 months with one set of players or coaching staff but now it is much shorter, much lesser time. When I came into the team, I was 22 and there were older players but it is different now. There is no off-season, no time to go home, got to be playing pretty much all year long, a few more ice baths and fewer beers. We have worked a lot on environment, the environment around the team to help the young guys like Tim (Robinson) and Rachin (Ravindra) feel welcome into the team."
9:56 PM local time (2:26 PM IST): The umpires are out in the middle with their umbrelllas out and are seen having a long chat with the groundsmen.
9:49 PM local time (2:19 PM IST): It continues to rain in Christchurch. The cutoff time for a 5-over chase is 10:33 PM local time (3:03 PM IST).
TEXAS Indo-Aussies: "2026 T20 WC DEFINITELY AUSTRALIA INDIA NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICA WILL BE IN SEMIS" There's an early prediction in already, folks! What do you make of this?
9:43 PM local time (2:13 PM IST): Umbrellas and raincoats out in the stands, as is any kind of protective blanket. Fair to say we could lose overs soon here. Some members of the crowd have had enough already and have started to leave. Let's hope the rain relents and they change their mind and take a U-turn.
9:34 PM local time (2:04 PM IST): Scratch that last update - both the rain and the covers are back now! And this is certainly a heavier spell now with more covers brought on...
9:30 PM local time (2 PM IST): Good news folks, the rain seems to have gone and the covers are being removed. Just the pitch strip remains now, the rest have been gotten rid of. The umpires are out there inspecting conditions with no umbrellas, which is another positive sign. They are going back now, meanwhile the England team is in their kits by the sidelines waiting for an update like all of us.
9:18 PM local time (1:48 PM IST): Boo! The rain is back and the covers are in place. It's not heavy, but it is stronger than the earlier spell. The entire square is under the covers and this could be a longer delay.
9:12 PM local time (1:42 PM IST): England post 153/6 in their 20 overs. New Zealand require 154 runs to win at 7.70 RPO.
Sam Curran 49* (35) | Jos Buttler 29 (25) Michael Bracewell 1/10 (2) | Mitchell Santner 1/20 (4)
A superb bowling display by the Blackcaps to tie England down to an under-par 153. It's a two-paced deck at the Hagley Oval but you've got to feel that England are short of a par total, particularly should the surface ease out under lights.
In that regard, it was a big toss for the Kiwis as they got the ball to seam and bounce. The odd one kept lower than expected but both Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell perished to the extra bounce, the latter in particular enduring a torrid stay even as he did put a couple of deliveries away eventually. Jos Buttler looked in decent nick and skipper Harry Brook began positively, only for Jimmy Neesham to strike gold and clean him up.
England never got a partnership going and skipper Mitchell Santner was at his impeccable best on his return from injury. He varied his pace and bowled tidy lengths to completely shut down an end, eventually bagging the wicket of Tom Banton before Michael Bracewell chimed in with the big wicket of Buttler. There was a brief interruption in play due to a passing shower but England continued to struggle with their batters just not getting their timing going and New Zealand's bowlers using their cutters to great effect.
Kyle Jamieson executed his yorkers and slower ones to good effect but the Blackcaps handing Sam Curran a life on two occasions did come back to bite them. The southpaw struggled even as he rode his luck but a poor final over from Jacob Duffy saw him ship 19 runs as Curran's scrappy vigil took England past the 150-run mark. A total that is not a lot, but something to play with should this deck not ease out.
New Zealand will still fancy their chances though with the asking rate well under 8 per over. England need early wickets - can they land those inroads and make a game out of this one? Join us in just a bit for the chase to find out...
Matt Henry (New Zealand): Playing cricket this early was always going to be a bit of unknown. We assumed that there will be a lateral movement but the pace of the wicket is on the slower side. Just play your natural game (on his advice to the batters), we have got a lot of power and talent in the dressing room, it will be about absorbing the pressure and putting it back on them. Really looking forward to watching the run-chase.
A bit of luck for Curran as he takes England past 150! It was a real scrap while he was out there but he was the one man to muster some sort of a fight to give his team a score to work with. 19 off the last over!
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