Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"New Zealand are a side that tends to go after the ball, whereas India time it and let the ball come on. Even after just the first few balls India's batting is so much better than anything we saw from New Zealand early doors."

Corey Anderson's left-arm wobblers share the new ball, shaping into Kohli, who instantly looks a class apart with a couple of whips off his pads. The atmosphere is very different now India are batting. What was a party has been replaced by tension, as if the home fans are worried about disastrous mishaps. As I type that, a deafening Kohli chant rumbles from below.

John Michael Poole: Think New Zealand are easily 50 runs short. This could be over pretty quickly.

Brilliant. You take a wicket in the first over and out walks perhaps the greatest T20 batsman of all-time. Virat Kohli in at three for India, immediately off the mark with a single. Replays show that Dhawan lbw was stone dead.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"Shikhar Dhawan caused himself a problem by shuffling across and the ball skidded on. We saw an explosive first over of the game and this is what New Zealand needed. They are straight into the game - there is a little bit of hope."

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"I have the feeling India will come out and make this look like easy work. New Zealand are at least 20 runs short. 

"I'm not disappointed with the pitch - there weren't any major surprises for me. Some of the balls did seem to be staying low but that's what you would expect."

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma emerge from the tunnel, strolling into the amphitheatre that is illuminated by the beacons in the night sky. India need 127 at a smidge over a run a ball to get their own tournament under way with a victory. Off-spinner Nathan McCullum has the ball. 

Nishant Kumar: To be fair to the pitch, also been good bowling, fielding & brilliant run out. Not to mention the mindless batting in first two overs.

Right then, here we go with the run-chase. Tension, or terribly simple? The Kiwis stand on the boundary edge, huddling, taking some last-minute instruction from Kane Williamson. The Black Caps have a big ask ahead of them.

I've just seen some clips from before the game, when Martin Guptill was in tears after that tribute to his mentor, Martin Crowe. Emotion in an already pumped-up situation. First ball hit for six, then given out lbw to a second ball that was going over the top.

Earlier today, India opened the Women's World Twenty20 with an emphatic 72-run victory over Bangladesh in Bangalore.

Read the match report.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"That was some really brilliant bowling from India. Suresh Raina came in and really got things going - not just with his first wicket but that bit of fielding for the stumping. That changed the game when New Zealand were just beginning to build some momentum.

"I was looking forward to seeing Jasprit Bumrah bowl too, and his yorkers were impeccable."

India's Suresh Raina: "We did really well - you have to bowl a lot of dot balls. Hopefully we will bat really well today as well. When you're chasing you have to just be positive - especially when the wicket is turning. Hopefully our batsmen will do it."

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"The only good news for New Zealand is that they've picked three spinners today and we've seen a lot of turn. But the experience doesn't look to be quite there, while India are such a well-oiled machine. I feel there isn't enough on the board for New Zealand - and they don't look much like accelerating either."

Ronchi, by the way, took 21 from 11 balls. A telling contribution? We'll see. Remember, you can watch in-play clips from the first innings by hitting the highlights tab at the top of the page.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"For New Zealand the first ball was brilliant but after things really fell into place for India. The key for them was having so many bowling options to work with. New Zealand will be hoping their spinners can take advantage of the turn here, but I think India will be able to play the conditions better."

That's yer lot. New Zealand scramble a couple off the final ball, scraping their way to 126-7. You suspect it won't enough, but the Kiwis do have plenty of tweak in their locker. It could be a close one on a dodgy deck, but it could also be an Indian stroll.