During the fourth game of the current five-match T20I series against the India National Cricket Team at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday (October 30), Mitchell Santner, captain of the New Zealand National Cricket Team, reached a significant milestone in T20I cricket.
After dismissing Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy, the left-arm spinner increased his total wickets against India to 32 from 31 games, surpassing Ish Sodhi’s previous mark of 30 to become the team’s most prolific T20I wicket-taker. Santner became the first left-arm spinner in the world to reach that milestone in T20 internationals and only the third bowler from New Zealand to reach 150 wickets in the format during that same term.
Reddy went away to play a cut shot after the New Zealand captain produced a slower delivery outside off-stump. New Zealand took a 3-1 lead in the five-match series after winning by 87 runs. The hosts scored 259/7, their highest T20I total against India, thanks to Glenn Phillips’ 107 off 49 balls to anchor the innings and Michael Bracewell’s quick 65 off 25 balls. Jacob Duffy led the home attack with four wickets as India was bowled out for 172/9 while chasing that target.
Given that the left-arm spinner has also taken more than 150 wickets in his T20I career, the accomplishment adds even more significance to Santner’s record. He is one of New Zealand’s most potent bowling weapons in the game’s shortest format thanks to his reliable performances.
Even though the Men in Blue won the first three Twenty20 Internationals to win the series, the Black Caps produced an incredible comeback and humiliated them in Auckland. The hosts won the fourth Twenty20 International by 87 runs on Friday as India, chasing the record of 260 runs at Eden Park, struggled to just 172/9. November 1st is the date of the final Twenty20 International.
