Emotional sent off to Nehra

“My body will be at peace now,”  Nehra

Having endured much pain during his 18-year-long injury-marred yet successful career, Ashish Nehra said his body will be at peace as he bid adieu to his international career on Wednesday night  “I will miss all this. That’s what you train for. One thing which will definitely be at peace will be my body. I could have carried on for a couple years, but there can’t be a better time to walk away,” Nehra said after his farewell game. Nehra said the game had changed a lot since he started playing. “I played my first game here in 1997. The rules have changed, so many runs are being scored. But whatever happens, this team is here to stay. The future of Indian cricket is in safe hands for the next six-seven years,” he said. “I played my last Test when I was 24 or 25, but, at the end, to have played for 18 years and to be here standing in blue clothing, I could not have asked for anything more. I have no regrets. I am always happy.”

“Nehra one of the smartest cricketers I have played with,”  Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli paid rich tributes to the retiring Ashish Nehra as “one of the smartest cricketers” he has ever played with.

The first T20 International is Nehra’s final international match of a career that started way back in 1999.

“Nineteen years as a fast bowler is a great achievement. One of the smartest guys I’ve played with, always loves helping youngsters. He is someone who knew what to do in specific situations. Sad to see him go but it is happening at his home ground,” Kohli said.

During the pre-match training session, Kohli and MS Dhoni presented Nehra with a memento on behalf of team India.

India gave retiring fast bowler Ashish Nehra a winning farewell with a comprehensive 53-run victory over New Zealand in the first T20 International at his home groud Firoz Shah Kotla at Delhi.  The hosts capitalised on a blistering start to post a commanding 202/3 before restricting New Zealand to 149/8 to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.

Left-arm paceman Nehra, 38, ended his international career at his home ground nearly 19 years after his 1999 Test debut against Sri Lanka. Put in to bat by a New Zealand side wary of the dew factor, the hosts got off to a flying start with openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma featuring in India’s highest T20 partnership. The duo toyed with the Kiwi attack to plunder 158 runs for the first wicket, aided by sloppy catching by a New Zealand side usually renowned for their high fielding standards.

Dropped on eight by Mitchell Santner at point, Dhawan smashed 80 off 52 balls, hitting two sixes and 10 boundaries in his scintillating knock.

Sharma, whom Tim Southee spilled at long-off when on 16, also scored 80, clobbering four sixes and six fours. Virat Kohli (26 not out) also got a reprieve when Martin Guptill floored a catch in the deep and the India captain smacked three sixes in his 11-ball cameo. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi dismissed Dhawan and Hardik Pandya in the same over but could not stop India passing 200.

New Zealand lost both openers inside four overs with Pandya sprinting from long-off and diving full length to take a stunning catch near the sightscreen to dismiss Guptill. Tom Latham top-scored with 39 and Santner made 27 not out but New Zealand never really got going. Rajkot hosts the second T20 match on Saturday.