Vaibhav Sooryavanshi moved out of opening slot for the 1st time, falls for 4 runs in 8 balls

India emerged victorious from a spirited New Zealand fightback, securing a thrilling four-wicket win in the T20 opener in Christchurch on Thursday. The hosts managed to chase down a daunting 226-run target despite a mid-innings wobble to take the lead in the five-match series. India's openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma set the platform with a 93-run opening stand, as Samson smashed a brilliant 67 off 33 balls.

Shreyas Iyer contributed crucially to revive the chase, and Naman Dhir sealed the win with a match-winning 42 off 28 balls. "When they (openers) click, they set up the game for us and the rest of us try to steady the ship and finish," India captain Iyer remarked. "He (Dhir) gives us lots of options. I personally feel the calm and composed nature he showed tonight, it was magnificent."

New Zealand, however, put up a strong total, with Tim Seifert and Finn Allen providing a solid foundation before Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 82 helped them reach 225-4. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner conceded that his team failed to capitalize on opportunities during the middle overs, while India's bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs.