Pacers deliver timely breakthrough after Mitchell-Young rebuild
January 11, 2026: India struck at a crucial moment as Mohammed Siraj dismissed Will Young in the 27.5th over, breaking a steady partnership. Young was caught by KL Rahul for 12, giving Siraj his first wicket of the day and reinforcing India’s control after Harshit Rana’s earlier success. New Zealand slipped to 143/3 in 27.5 overs.
Before the breakthrough, Daryl Mitchell and Will Young had steadied the innings with a cautious approach. The 27th over produced just two runs as both batters focused on rotating strike, ensuring no further damage while keeping the scoreboard ticking. At that stage, New Zealand were 143/2 after 27 overs.
Momentum briefly picked up in the 26th over, which yielded eight runs, including a boundary from Mitchell along with singles and a wide. The pair looked set to rebuild before Siraj’s intervention halted New Zealand’s progress in the middle overs.