Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 20, 2024, 08:00 AM
IND vs NZ Test: The first match of the three-match Test series between India and New Zealand has reached an exciting turn. After the fourth day's play, New Zealand has got a target of just 107 runs to win. Although the Indian team had a good start, by the end of the game, the New Zealand bowlers made a strong comeback in the match. Now the fifth and final day's play will decide the result of the match, where New Zealand is close to creating history, while India is hoping for a miracle.Sarfaraz and Pant's partnership strengthened IndiaThe Indian team started the fourth day with a score of 231/3. Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant displayed excellent batting and took the team past 400 runs. Sarfaraz scored a brilliant 150, which is also the first century of his international career. Pant, on the other hand, was dismissed for 99, and this was the seventh time he missed a century after scoring 90 or more runs. There was an important partnership of 177 runs for the fourth wicket between the two, which put India in a strong position.The new ball changed the course of the gameWhen it seemed that India would put pressure on New Zealand by putting up a big score, then there was a sudden change in the game. New Zealand got the new ball as soon as 80 overs were completed, and after this the Indian batting faltered. After the new ball, the Indian batsmen could not recover and started losing wickets one after the other. India's score was 408/3, but then the whole team was reduced to 462 runs after adding only 54 runs. New Zealand bowlers took full advantage of this opportunity and brought the team close to victory.Historic victory opportunity for New ZealandIt has been 36 years since New Zealand won a Test match in India. The last time New Zealand defeated India was in Mumbai in 1989, when Sir Richard Hadlee took 10 wickets and led his team to a 136-run victory. Now, New Zealand has a golden opportunity to register another historic victory in India. A target of 107 runs looks easy for New Zealand, but India also have a chance to stage a miraculous comeback, especially if the bowlers can take some quick wickets early.Bad light and rain stopped playNew Zealand began chasing the target just before the end of the fourth day, but the umpires stopped play in the first over due to bad light. After this, the day's play was ended due to heavy rain. New Zealand have played four balls without any loss so far, and Tom Latham and Devon Conway are present at the crease.Excitement of the last dayNow the result of the match will depend on the fifth and final day. While New Zealand need only 107 runs, the responsibility will be on the Indian bowlers to make the match interesting by taking early wickets.This match is important for both the teams - New Zealand is close to a historic victory, while India will try to win by giving everything on the last day.