India drew first blood in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand after a comfortable 48-run victory in Nagpur on Wednesday.
After being sent in to bat at the toss, Abhishek Sharma struck 84 from 35 balls as India scored a mammoth 238-7 in their 20 overs.
It was a tail of two halves for the hosts as Abhishek gave them a quick start before Rinku Singh finished off the innings with a brutal 44 not out off just 20 deliveries.
Jacob Duffy was the best bowler on display for the Black Caps with the seamer returning more than respectable figures of 2-27 in his four overs.
The visitors were always going to be up against it chasing the huge total but Glenn Phillips showed good fight with 78 off 40 balls as his team eventually reached 190-7.
Mark Chapman chipped in with 38 while Daryl Mitchell, coming off a player-of-the-series award in the ODI series, scored 28.
It was though all a futile effort with the bat from New Zealand as India just piled on too many runs in the first innings.
India spinner Varun Chakravarthy again demonstrated why he will be key player at the T20 World Cup with figures of 2-37 in his four overs.
The second game of the five-match series will take place in Raipur on Friday.
