It was a night to forget for Arshdeep Singh in Raipur. On a batting-friendly surface at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, India’s usually reliable left-arm seamer endured a torrid time against the New Zealand openers in the 2nd T20I.

Also Read: Middle-overs squeeze helps India limit New Zealand to 208

After India elected to bowl first, Arshdeep Singh took the new ball, hoping to find some early swing. Instead, he ran into a rampaging Devon Conway. The first over turned into a nightmare as Conway punished Arshdeep’s loose lines, smashing three crisp fours and a six to loot 18 runs. This expensive start saw Arshdeep equal the unwanted record for the most runs conceded by an Indian bowler in the first over of a T20I innings.

Unfortunately, the "horror show" didn't stop there. His second over, the third of the innings, was equally punishing. This time, it was Tim Seifert who took charge, blasting four consecutive boundaries to pile on the misery. Arshdeep had leaked a staggering 36 runs in just his first 12 balls, completely handing the momentum to the Kiwis.

He eventually finished with wicketless figures of 0/53 from his four overs. His inability to find his rhythm allowed New Zealand to race off the blocks, laying the foundation for their massive total of 208/6.

However, cricket is a cruel game, and even the best have off days. Arshdeep Singh has proven time and again that he is a clinical match-winner for the Men in Blue, and this performance was likely just a very, very bad day at the office.