One of the best fielding units in world cricket, New Zealand were a bit sloppy in the field at the Hagley Oval in the series opener, allowing India to chase down a record 226. Finn Allen and Lockie Ferguson dropped a catch each to give Shreyas Iyer and Naman Dhir , respectively, crucial reprieves. New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips had a hilarious exchange with an Indian journalist after the latter questioned him over the number of dropped catches by the hosts during the first T20I in Christchurch on Thursday.
Allen dropped Iyer at long-on when the Indian skipper was batting on 28, before his dismissal eventually for a score of 42. “You’ve also got to give credit to the chasing side for chasing 226.
You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due sometimes,” Phillips said in the post-match press conference. Ferguson, on the other hand, dropped Dhir at short third off Nathan Smith, with the edge flying for a four. There were a couple of other close chances which the Kiwis could’ve made look routine on another day. It’s always a good chase and for them as well, on slightly bigger boundaries, it’s something slightly different to what they’re used to.
