5 signature moments from the India vs New Zealand match that don't fade away

In what turned out be a fine example of falling into the pit designed for someone else, India, who had looked unassailable in T20Is in 2016, were humbled on their home turf by a resurgent New Zealand side in the opening game of the ICC World T20 2016.On a pitch that offered prodigious turn and very little pace off it, the visiting batsmen showed better application of skills than the home side. The Kiwis’ total of 126 proved to be way too much for their Indian counterparts, who couldn’t even bat out the 20 overs.NZ captain Kane Williamson's decision of resting the team's two prime bowlers – Tim Southee and Trent Boult – and playing three spinners instead in Ish Sodhi, Nathan McCullum, and Mitchell Santner, raised several eyebrows before the match. But by the end, no one was doubting Williamson’s tactical acumen.After some disciplined bowling and good fielding that saw India restrict the opposition to a seemingly below-par total, the NZ spinners wreaked havoc by grabbing nine of the 10 wickets in the Indian innings and bowling the home team out for 70, their second-lowest T20I total ever.All the Indian batsmen, with the possible exception of MS Dhoni, struggled against the turn and perished one by one, ultimately giving the visitors a 47-run victory.Despite India’s lacklustre performance, there were several memorable moments in the match that won’t fade away from our minds, much like the Axe Signature line of deodorants. Let us have a look at 5 such unforgettable moments:

#1 The start to New Zealands innings: first ball six, second ball wicket

Martin Guptill hit a first ball six, before Ashwin got the better of him

The start to the 6th edition of the ICC World T20 was in line with the thrills associated with the shortest format of the game. After Ravichandran Ashwin took the new ball for India to open the proceedings, the action exploded right off the bat.

The first ball that he bowled, to Martin Guptill, one of the most destructive opening batsmen in world cricket, went for a six straight over the bowler’s head. It seemed, at that moment, that Guptill was in the mood to channel his inner Virender Sehwag and play a big innings, which sent some jitters down the Indian camp.

But with a small amount of luck and a tiny mistake by the Kiwi opener, India got back into the game off the very next ball. Guptill missed a sweep shot and was adjudged leg-before-wicket, despite the ball being high and seemingly going over the stumps.

As if this roller-coaster swing wasn’t enough, the new batsman at the fall of the first wicket, Colin Munro, smashed another six, this time through a reverse sweep, to round off a thrilling first over of the tournament.

#2 Suresh Raina\'s bowling and fielding, including a stunning run out of Ross Taylor

Suresh Raina was involved in the sensational run-out of Ross Taylor

After a brief opening burst, Munro perished in the very next over, off the bowling of Ashish Nehra. What was surprising though was that NZ captain Kane Williamson, who didn’t look to be in any sort of touch, also perished after safely negotiating the powerplays, beaten by the turn that a Suresh Raina delivery extracted off the surface.

Perhaps it was the exhilarating feeling that Raina got from the wicket that led to a stupendous fielding effort to run out Ross Taylor, another dangerous Kiwi batsman.

Corey Anderson, who was the only mainstay as far as the New Zealand batting was concerned, drove the ball straight, just to the left of Raina. The agile Indian sprinted towards the bowler, quickly gathered the ball, and while teetering off-balance knocked over the stumps with a one-handed throw.

The stunned Taylor, who was backing up too far at the non-striker’s end, was caught out of his crease, and India got a vital breakthrough.

#3 Jasprit Bumrah\'s yorkers, leading to the dismissal of Corey Anderson

Jasprit Bumrah got rid of Corey Anderson with a deadly yorker

The man who can arguably be regarded as the find of the year so far for India showed his prowess once again with the ball with his deadly yorkers towards the death, in the 16thand the 18th overs of the innings.

The sight to remember for Indian fans came in the 16th, when Bumrah clean bowled Corey Anderson with a ball that landed at the base of the middle stump, and took out just that stump. Anderson, who was the man NZ were looking to for breaking the shackles towards the end, was looking for a ramp shot but was sent packing by a brute of a delivery.

Bumrah bowled beautifully in his final two overs as well - as he had done in his first two – which saw him bowling either the yorker or the cutter to generate some life from the ball on this slow wicket. He finished with exceptional match figures of 4-0-15-1.

#4 Ish Sodhi strikes first ball to get rid of the dangerous Virat Kohli

New Zealand players congratulate Ish Sodhi after he dismissed Virat Kohli

As opposed to what was expected, this match was far from tailor-made for India. That was evident in the first six overs itself as India lost four of their top five batsmen inside the powerplays.

All eyes, from thereon, were transfixed on Virat Kohli, who was joined by MS Dhoni at the fall of the fourth wicket. At 26/4, memories from the game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup came flashing back; back then, after a disastrous performance by the top-order, it was Kohli who had saved the day for India.

But that was not to happen today, as IshSodhi, who was terrific on the day with his sharp leg-spin, got Kohli caught behind off the very first ball of his spell with a perfect leg break.

The ball pitched just around off and turned away from the right-hander, thereby inviting Kohli to drive on the up. But the prodigious turn ensured that the cherry caught only a feather off his bat before landing into Luke Ronchi’s gloves.

That wicket was as much a turning point in the game as any other.

#5 MS Dhoni\'s wicket: The final nail in the coffin

MS Dhoni put up a valiant fight, but succumbed to pressure

Kohli’s dismissal exposed the untested lower-middle order of India which expectedly failed to do well. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja perished one after the other in quick succession to leave MS Dhoni fighting a lone battle.

Still, as long as the Indian captain was at the crease, the fans had someone to put their hopes on.

Those hopes were rekindled for a brief moment when Dhoni hit a six and a four in consecutive overs to set up a final assault against the run-rate that had already crossed 15 per over.

However, NZ’s grip on the match proved to be too much even for the Indian captain as he perished trying to clear the ropes in the 18th over, thereby extinguishing the last source of light that the Indian fans had.

The Indian innings rounded up in the very next over when Ashish Nehra was bowled by Adam Milne, giving New Zealand a well-deserved victory by 47 runs.