Nagpur: Indian all-rounder Axar Patel suffered an injury to his finger during the first T20 match against New Zealand, forcing him to leave the field before completing his over.
The incident occurred in the 16th over of New Zealand’s innings. Daryl Mitchell struck a powerful shot off Axar’s delivery, and Patel attempted to stop the ball with his left hand. The force of the shot caused the ball to go over the boundary while injuring his finger, which began bleeding immediately. The physio rushed to check him, and Patel had to exit the field before completing the over. While leaving, he cleaned the blood with a handkerchief.
Impact on the Match
Before leaving, Patel had bowled 3.3 overs, conceding 42 runs and picking up a crucial wicket — that of New Zealand’s explosive batter Glenn Phillips. The remaining three balls of the over were bowled by Abhishek Sharma.
India Clinches 48-Run Victory
Despite the setback, Team India emerged victorious by 48 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Batting first after losing the toss, India posted a competitive 238/7, powered by blistering innings from Abhishek Sharma (84) and Rinku Singh (44*).
In reply, New Zealand managed only 190/7, with Phillips top-scoring with 78. India’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dubey claiming 2 wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel took 1 wicket apiece.
The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 series, setting a strong tone for the games ahead.
(With agency inputs)
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