JAIPUR: Half-centuries by Martin Guptill and Mark Chapman helped New Zealand set India 165 to win in the first game of a three-match T20 international series in Jaipur on Wednesday.

New India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and asked the visitors to bat, with seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar striking in the first over by clean bowling Daryl Mitchell for a duck in front of a packed crowd.

But a 109-run second-wicket partnership between Guptill and Chapman guided the visitors to a challenging total of 164 for six.

Chapman scored a brisk 63 in 50 balls but fell to Ravichandran Ashwin as he tried to hit the off-spinner over the leg-side boundary. Ashwin also dismissed Glenn Phillips, lbw, in the same over for nought.

But Guptill continued with his lively innings, smashing four sixes and three fours in his 70 off 42 balls.

He was caught at deep mid-wicket trying to hit spinner Deepak Chahar for six.

Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert tried to accelerate but was caught off Kumar for 12.

Kumar finished with figures of 2-24 while Chahar and Mohammed Siraj took one wicket each.