Daryl Mitchell bludgeoned a rapid unbeaten half-century before New Zealand's brilliant spinners consigned India to a 21-run defeat in the first T20I of a three-match series.
India condemned the Black Caps to a 3-0 ODI whitewash this week, but the tourists claimed their first victory of the tour in impressive fashion at JSCA International Stadium Complex on Friday.
Conway (52 from 35 balls) and Finn Allen (35 from 23) got New Zealand off to a flying start after they were put in by Hardik Pandya in Ranchi.
Washington Sundar (2-22) and Kuldeep Yadav (1-20) contained the Black Caps, but Mitchell provided the fireworks to get them up to 176-6 by scoring 59 not out from only 30 deliveries.
He took 27 off a nightmare final over from Arshdeep Singh, hitting three consecutive sixes to silence an expectant crowd.
India were in deep trouble on 15-3 in the fourth over of the run chase, Ishan Kishan bowled by a peach of a delivery from Michael Bracewell before Rahul Tripathi and the in-form Shubman Gill fell cheaply.
Newly crowned ICC T20I player of the year Suryakumar Yadav gave India hope with a classy 47, but he was on his way after holing out to Allen when trying to launch Ish Sodhi into the stands.
Stand-in captain Mitchell Santner (2-11) and Bracewell (2-31) bowled beautifully, while Lockie Ferguson (2-33) and Jacob Duffy (1-27) also made their mark as a maiden T20I half-century from Sundar (50no off 28) was in vain with India restricted to 155-9.
It was just a second win in 12 matches against India in the shortest format, giving New Zealand – without the likes of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee and Trent Boult – a 1-0 lead in the series.
Consistent Conway and Mitchell give Black Caps upper hand
Conway has been a revelation in all formats for the Blacks Caps since making his debut in 2020, and he continues to churn out the runs.
He laid the foundations for an imposing total with a ninth T20I half-century, finding the rope seven times and clearing it once before being dismissed by Arshdeep in the 18th over.
Mitchell then took centre stage, taking Arshdeep's bowling apart with final-over fireworks as he hit five sixes in all to register a fourth T20I half-century and give New Zealand the momentum.
New Zealand spin in to win it
The New Zealand spinners were outstanding, generating sharp turn and giving little away.
Bracewell set the standard, cleaning up Kishan with a brilliant delivery that pitched around middle and struck the left-hander's off stump.
Skipper Santner bowled 18 dot balls, while he saw the back of Gill – superb in the ODI series – and had Deepak Hooda stumped before running out Shivam Mavi with a direct hit.
Cornwall takes four as Leewards takes lead over Guyana at Providence
Rahkeem Cornwall took four wickets as the Leeward Islands Hurricanes shot out Guyana Harpy Eagles for 122 at Providence on the opening day of their match at Providence. At stumps, the Leewards were 133-5, a lead of 11.
Opener Matthew Nandu was the top scorer for Guyana as Cornwall took 4-27 while Javier Spencer 2-35 and Colin Archibald 2-27.
In reply, opener Kieran Powell and Keacy Carty shared in a second-wicket partnership of 69 but after Kevin Sinclair dismissed Powell for 35, the Leewards slipped from 73-2 to 84-4 with Carty and Devon Thomas losing their wickets to Veersammy Permaul for 23 and two, respectively.
Anthony Adams was dismissed by Anthony Adams for 10 with the Leewards still 18 runs behind.
Howeverm Jahmar Hamilton (35) and Kofi James (9) took the Leewards beyond Guyana’s score and have so far put on 29 for the sixth wicket when play concluded for the day.
Permaul has so far taken 2-31.
Hinds and Phillips repel Scorpions bowling to make 302; Scorpions 5-1 at stumps
Terrance Hinds and Anderson Phillip each scored crucial half-centuries to rescue Trinidad and Tobago Red Force from 119-7 to 302 all out against the Jamaica Scorpions at Torouba on Thursday. At stumps, the Scorpions had already a lost a wicket with only five runs on the board.
Trinidad were in trouble on 119-7 with only Tion Webster (30) and Joshua Da Silva (39) making useful contributions against the bowling of Marquino Mindley, Ojay Shields and Derval Green doing the early damage.
However, Hinds and Bryan Charles began the fightback with a 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket which took the Red Force to 185 when Charles was dismissed for only nine. A bigger partnership was to follow between Hinds and Phillip, who put on exactly 100 for the ninth wicket.
Hinds, who looked certain to make a hundred, was eventually dismissed for 94 by Shields who finished with 2-72.
Phillips and Shannon Gabriel took the score past 300 before Jeavor Royal dismissed Gabriel for 10, leaving Phillips unbeaten on 63.
Green took 3-56, Royal 2-60 and Mindley 2-56.
Phillip dismissed Tevin Gilzene for one to close out the day.
Jordan's 5-44 restricts Windward Islands Volcanoes to 237 despite Athanaze, Walcott half-centuries
Alick Athanaze and Tevyn Walcott both scored half-centuries but Akeem Jordan’s five-wicket haul restricted the Windward Islands Volcanoes to a first-innings score of 237 on the opening day of their fifth-round West Indies Championship match against Barbados Pride at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.
At stumps, Barbados were 48-0, trailing by 189 runs.
Athanaze, who has been in good form all season, scored 59 while rescuing the Volcanoes from a tenuous 17-3. He and Sunil Ambris added 47 for the fourth wicket. Ambris was trapped lbw by Roshon Primus for 28 after Windwards Islands Volcanoes recovered somewhat to 64-4.
Athanaze was to feature in another solid partnership, this time 98 with Walcott for the fifth wicket that added further stability to the score. However, Akeem Jordan who earlier picked up the wickets of openers Kimani Melius for a duck and Johann Jeremiah for 11, snapped up the wickets of Walcott for 55 and then Athanaze for 59 as the Windwards slipped to 164-6.
Primus made it 166-7 when he dismissed Larry Edward for one.
After Jordan dismissed Kenneth Dember for six and Jomel Warrican removed Sherman Lewis for nine, Ryan John and Preston McSween added 31 before Warrican ended John’s resolute innings for 41.
Jordan returned figures of 5-44 with Primus supporting with 2-44 and Warrican 2-57.
At the close, Barbados were 48-0 with Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley, the batsmen at the crease on 21 and 26, respectively.
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