World Cup champion Ashish Nehra calls it a day
The left-arm fast bowler played his last ever international in a T20I against New Zealand.
Ashish Nehra played his farewell match on Wednesday in a T20I against New Zealand at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi. Nehra was asked by skipper Virat Kohli to bowl the last over of the match, which India won by 53 runs.
The 38-year-old left-arm fast bowler was part of the India squad that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Nehra’s body 'at peace'
Due to health issues, Nehra was absent from international cricket for extended periods of time, however, he was part of the Indian team in two successful World Cup campaigns, in 2003 when the Blue Shirts were runners-up and in the conquest of the tournament in 2011.
It was in the ODI format that Nehra found the most success, however, after a finger injury in the 2011 World Cup semifinal, he never played a 50-over match for India again.
After Wednesday’s T20I against New Zealand, Nehra said his body will be "at peace".
'I will miss all this. That's what you train for. One thing which will definitely be at peace will be my body. I said earlier that I can go a couple more years, but there can't be a better time to walk away,' Nehra told the Times of India.
Indian captain Virat Kohli tossed the ball to Nehra with New Zealand having no chance of turning the match around, meaning there was no pressure on the bowler.
'I must be the one bowler who sent down the last over most number of times for India. But those times were different. There was no pressure today.'
Kohli: ‘The farewell he deserved’
In the post-match presentation ceremony, Virat Kohli said that Nehra received the farewell he deserved.
'I know how professional he’s been and how hard he’s worked. He deserved this kind of a farewell with the crowd cheering him.
'He can now spend time with his family, he’s got a beautiful family. We’ll stay in touch but we’ll miss him and I wish him all the best.'
India’s first ever T20 win over New Zealand
Aside from Nehra’s farewell, this matched was India’s first ever win over New Zealand in a T20 match. New Zealand won the toss and decided to field first.
India posted a decent total of 202-3. In reply, Kane Williamson’s side were unable to find their way, making just 149-8 from their 20 overs, giving India a win by 53 runs.