Wellington | Daryl Mitchell roared back to form with a scintillating 52-ball-89 as New Zealand posted a competitive 198 for 3 against India amid cold and windy conditions in the third T20 International here on Tuesday.
The Indian bowlers didn't have too many wickets to show for their effort but they were once again impressive in the last five overs giving away only 52 runs.
India captain Shreyas Iyer won his third toss and once again asked the Black Caps to bat first. Pacer Arshdeep Singh (1/33 in four overs) quickly removed Tim Seifert, who was guilty of playing an indiscreet shot, as India got off to a perfect start.
However, Finn Allen (40 off 25 balls) and Mitchell added 86 for a counter-attacking second-wicket stand.
Allen started with a couple of sixes off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/40 in four overs), who continued to search for the perfect length that has eluded him in all the games so far.
The only over in which he looked good was his last and 18th of the New Zealand innings. He was able to consistently pitch the block-hole deliveries in that over, something that would give him confidence for the remaining games of the five-match series.
Allen first smashed Bhuvneshwar over long-on and then pulled him over deep mid-wicket even as Mitchell found his rhythm with the willow.
While Allen wasn't exactly scoring off each delivery, he did hit a third six, fetching one from outside the off-stump of a Prince Yadav delivery and carting it over square leg.
Mitchell, at the other end, got some cheeky boundaries, including a ramp shot off Prince.
It was Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/38 in four overs), who finally got the breakthrough when Allen didn't get the elevation while trying to deposit him wide off long-on. Naman Dhir sprinted 10 yards and took a smart low catch.
The in-form Glenn Phillips (17) was removed by Axar (1/36 in four overs). He took a sharp return catch but the highly-rated Bevon Jacobs (39 no off 23 balls) joined Mitchell to add 75 runs for the fourth wicket in eight overs.
Mitchell hit some lusty blows -- five maximums in all -- apart from five fours.
Following is the scoreboard of the third T20 International between India and New Zealand here on Tuesday.
New Zealand's innings:
Tim Seifert c Axar b Arshdeep 2
Finn Allen c Dhir b Reddy 40
Daryl Mitchell not out 89
Glenn Phillips c&b Axar 17
Bevon Jacobs not out 39
Extras: 11 (lb-7, w-4)
Total: 198/3 in 20 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-90, 3-123
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-40-0, Arshdeep Singh, 4-0-33-1 Prince Yadav 4-0-44-0, Axar Patel 4-0-36-1, Nitish Kumar Reddy 4-0-38-1.