New Zealand and the Super Over nightmare

Super Over is a nightmare which New Zealand just cannot wish away. After losing the third T20 International of the five-match series to India of the last ball of the Super Over at Hamilton's Seddon Park on Wednesday (January 28, 2020), New Zealand met the same fate on Friday at Wellington's Westpac Park against Virat Kohli-led India.

New Zealand, who famously lost the ICC One Day International World Cup 2019 final to England at the Lord's Cricket Ground, seems to have developed a phobia of the Super Over as they have played in it eight times but won just one. After the Friday loss at Wellington where Kohli smashed the last ball of the Super Over bowled by stand-in skipper Tim Southee, New Zealand recorded their fourth such loss in just about seven months. Their first Super Over loss was against the West Indies in 2008.

New Zealand's Super Over nightmare:

1) New Zealand's fourth T20I against India in 2020

India scored 165/8 at Wellington's Westpac Park after being put in to bat by Southee, who was leading the side after Kane Williamson was ruled out due to an injury. Manish Pandey was the top scorer with 50 unbeaten for India. New Zealand lost four wickets in the 20th over and once again failed to close the match.

In the Super Over New Zealand scored 15 for the loss of Tim Seifert. India sent in skipper Virat Kohli and KL Rahul with the latter hitting the last ball for a four to seal the win.

2) New Zealand's third T20I against India in 2020

After the two teams were tied after 20 overs in the third T20I at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday, India beat New Zealand in a Super Over to clinch the five-match series with two games to spare.

Martin Guptill and Williamson came to bat for New Zealand and posted 17/0 in an over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. In reply, the Men in Blue notched up 20 runs in an over bowled by Tim Southee, including back-to-back sixes by Rohit on the last two balls, to emerge victorious.

3) New Zealand's Super Over loss in T20I against England

In less than four months after the tied World Cup final, England once again defeated New Zealand in Super Over during the fifth T20I to clinch the five-match series by 3-2 at the Eden Park in Auckland in November 2019. 

After the two teams finished tied at 146, a Super Over was conducted to decide the winner. 

Eoin Morgan and Jonny Bairstow came to bat for England and they put up 17 runs on the scoreboard off Tim Southee's bowling. In reply, Martin Guptill and Tim Seifert came to bat for New Zealand and the duo could only manage to score eight runs off Chris Jordan's deliveries. 

4) New Zealand lose 2019 ICC ODI World Cup final to England

After the two teams were tied on 241 in their allotted quota of 50 overs, it was the turn of the Super Over to decide the winner. It was the first time in the history of the ODI World Cup that the final went into the Super Over. England, who batted second in the final, started with their World Cup hero Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. The duo milked Trent Boult for 15 runs.

New Zealand's James Neesham and Martin Guptill, too, put up 15 on the board and in a farcical decision, the trophy was awarded to England based on the number of boundaries scored in the final.