Kiwis win after heart-stopping finale

Hamilton – Colin Munro’s (right) explosive 72 set up a four-run win for New Zealand over India in a cliff-hanger finish to yesterday’s Twenty20 match in Hamilton, handing the hosts a 2-1 series victory.

India looked to be on the ropes, needing 47 off the last three overs.

But Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya together plundered 32 off overs 18 and 19 before Tim Southee went for just 11 in the 20th.

“It was obviously touch-and-go there for us,” said Munro whose whirlwind knock at the start of the match laid the platform for New Zealand’s 212/4 with India 208/6 at the close.

The morale-boosting victory for New Zealand gave captain Kane Williamson something to smile about after they were whipped 4-1 by India in the earlier one-day international series.

“It came down to the last couple of balls and it’s great to come out on the right side,” he said.

It was a more sombre mood in the India dressing-room after Rohit Sharma had won the toss and defied convention by not batting first in a series decider, saying his team preferred to chase.

“It was pretty disappointing to not get over that finishing line but I thought we fought really well till the end,” he said.

“We started off really well with the ODI series and we wanted to do well here with the T20.”

New Zealand next host Bangladesh in a series of three ODIs and three Tests. –