Rinku Singh showcased his finishing prowess as India dominated New Zealand in the T20I series opener at Nagpur, scoring an unbeaten 44 off 20 balls to guide India to 238 for seven and a 48-run victory.
Opener Abhishek Sharma starred with 84 off 35 balls, supported by Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, while Rinku sealed the win with powerful hitting at the death. Former pacer Simon Doull commented that Rinku’s T20I opportunities have been far too limited since his debut in 2023, calling him one of the best finishers in the game and highlighting India’s underutilization of his talent. New Zealand fought back with Glenn Phillips’ 78 but fell short, giving India a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.
