Over the past 12 months, they’ve had matches go into a Super Over three times and each time they’ve come up second best
Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jan-2020Ian Smith might as well author a book on New Zealand’s tryst with Super Overs. Kane Williamson’s men have featured in four Super Overs in the last year including the historic 2019 World Cup final. On each occasion New Zealand have lost, the last three coming in T20I series at home against England and India, including twice now in three days just this week. So imagine the state of Smith’s heart, having commentated on three of those matches, including the close finish in Hamilton on Wednesday.On Friday, Smith was happy he was not put on the commentary roster for the final segment of the fourth T20 in Wellington. Not that it had any favourable impact for New Zealand, who suffered another shocking defeat in another Super Over.For those whose nerves are too frayed to relive the finishes all over again, ESPNcricinfo has spared you the gory details and put together handy summaries instead.January 31 2020, Wellington, v IndiaHaving choked once again after entering the final over of the match in a winning position, New Zealand faced Jasprit Bumrah in the second Super Over in three days. Even before it started, New Zealand had already suffered a setback: Martin Guptill did not pad up, having erratically bumped into Scott Kuggeleijn while fielding. That meant Tom Seiffert and Colin Munro walked out to face a resurgent India.Seifert took strike. He already had irritated Bumrah after making the Indian strike bowler wait a few extra seconds during his final over in regulation time. The drama continued. Bumrah could not believe what happened next as Seifert was dropped twice in the first three balls of the Super Over, the second of which went for a four. But next delivery, Bumrah had Seifert caught at deep point.Amazingly Bumrah did not once resort to his go-to delivery – the yorker. He pitched back-of-length mostly. Possibly that was because he was wary of New Zealand lapping him in case he faltered with the yorker. Nonetheless, he finished the over strongly as Munro tried to paddle a fuller delivery, but failed.India’s target was 14. Southee had a discussion with the injured Kane Williamson and New Zealand head coach Gary Stead. All three nodded, he had to bowl again. KL Rahul shut the case in the first two deliveries, picking 10 runs. Although Rahul went for another boundary and got caught next delivery, Virat Kohli ran a calm double first and then punched his fist in jubilation with a robust four.Jimmy Neesham went moaning on Twitter. New Zealand were speechless. And, even though he was not even on commentary to call New Zealand’s downfall, Smith would have been numb in disbelief.January 29 2020, Hamilton, v IndiaTo begin with India did not even know there would be a Super Over. Defending nine off the final over in regulation time, Mohammed Shami started it watching Ross Taylor bludgeon a full toss high over midwicket for six and then finished it slinging in a pitch-perfect yorker that bowled Taylor, which meant the scores were tied. Indian captain Virat Kohli walked up to the umpires to shake hands, only to be told there would be a Super Over.Then Jasprit Bumrah, who had bowled the second-most expensive spell in his T20 career, struggled to find the precision he is known for giving away 17 runs. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, experienced hands at handling pressure situations, were at the crease. Tim Southee, New Zealand’s most experienced fast bowler was once again entrusted by Williamson to bowl it, despite his mixed history with Super Overs.New Zealand have played seven Super Overs in T20is and Southee has bowled the last five of those. But only once before today did he have to defend. It was in a group match of the 2012 World T20 in Pallekele, where New Zealand needed to defend 17 again and to do that he had to keep Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels quiet. Southee started with a no ball, Gayle crashed him for a six. He finished the over with a full toss, Samuels lobbed him high over a leaping Martin Guptill to seal the match with another six.Today, Southee started strongly, giving away only three runs off his first two balls to Rohit. But Rahul then smartly moved outside his off stump and lapped him for an easy four, putting the pressure back on Southee. Rohit returned strongly, whacking an in-the-slot ball and a length ball for consecutive sixes, leaving Southee and New Zealand shaking in disbelief. Again.November 10, 2019, Auckland, v EnglandThe Super Over was nowhere in sight when Jimmy Neesham, defending 16 runs off the final over against England, had just given three runs off his first three balls including a wicket. Then Chris Jordan walloped a six, ran a two, and lapped a four leaving Neesham smiling in disbelief.Southee failed twice in executing the yorker and both went sailing over the straight boundary as Eoin Morgan and Johnny Bairstow set a target of 18 for New Zealand, two more than the World Cup final. This time, however, New Zealand were not so far behind on boundary countback, needing just one more to level things up.Unfortunately for the hosts, Martin Guptill was tied down at the non-striker’s end as Tim Seifert attempted to negotiate the variations of Jordan. Although Seifert did get a four, off the second legitimate delivery, the next was a dot followed by his dismissal, courtesy of a brilliant lunging catch from Morgan running back at cover. Guptill could then only run a single against a perfect yorker, as Jordan wrapped up the match with another dot ball.July 14 2019, Lord’s, v EnglandYou haven’t really forgotten how this one played out have you?