India Eye Series Seal: Team India Preps for 3rd T20I in Wellington
Leading 2-0, Team India prepares in Wellington for the 3rd T20I against New Zealand to seal the five-match series.
With a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series, the Indian cricket team is now gearing up for the third T20I against New Zealand. The squad is focused on securing a series-sealing victory as they prepare for the clash scheduled for Tuesday in Wellington.
Intense Net Sessions in Wellington
The team has been putting in rigorous work at the nets to maintain their momentum. Batters including Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Naman Dhir were spotted fine-tuning their timing and shot selection.
On the bowling front, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been putting in the hard yards to ensure his variations are sharp. In an interesting sight, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was seen practicing his batting, accompanied by head coach Gautam Gambhir, as the team leaves no stone unturned in their preparations.
A Dominant Start to the Series
India's journey in this series has been marked by high-scoring thrills and nerve-wracking finishes. The visitors began their campaign with a spectacular win in the opening match at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 22.
In that encounter, New Zealand had set a formidable target of 226, posting 225/4 in their 20 overs. India responded with aggression, led by a fluent 67 off 33 balls from Sanju Samson. The match reached a crescendo when Naman Dhir unleashed a late assault, scoring an unbeaten 42 off just 15 deliveries to guide India to 230/6 with two balls to spare.
Back-to-Back Thrillers
The momentum continued into the second T20I on October 24 at the same venue. New Zealand managed 180/5 in their allotted 20 overs, setting a competitive target of 181 for the Indian side.
Once again, India showed immense composure under pressure. The chase went down to the wire, with India reaching 181/6 in 19.5 overs. Key contributions from Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy ensured India secured another four-wicket victory, cementing their 2-0 lead.
As the action shifts to Wellington on October 27, India looks to capitalize on their current form and shut out the hosts in the third encounter.