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India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the second T20I in Christchurch, completing a 181-run chase with one ball to spare after slumping to 70 for 5. Tilak Varma made an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls and Nitish Kumar Reddy added 26 not out off 13, putting on 69 together for the seventh wicket. The win gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Christchurch, New Zealand: For most of the evening at Hagley Oval, this game belonged to Mitchell Santner and New Zealand. India were 112 for 6 in the 15th over and needed 69 off the last 31 balls. Then Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy took the game away in a stand of 69 off 30 balls, and India won with a ball to spare.
India chose to field after winning the toss. Ishan Kishan was ruled out with a right adductor strain, which brought 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into the XI at No. 3. Prince Yadav replaced Mayank Yadav, while New Zealand brought in Jacob Duffy for Adam Milne.
India Strike Early, Phillips and Jacobs Recover
India made the perfect start with the ball. Arshdeep Singh had Tim Seifert caught by Tilak in the second over, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar then removed Daryl Mitchell, with Tilak taking another catch. It was Bhuvneshwar’s first wicket since returning to the Indian side. Prince Yadav then bowled Finn Allen with a full delivery, and New Zealand were 41 for 3 in the sixth over.
Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs rebuilt the innings. Jacobs, helped by a dropped chance from Shreyas Iyer at mid-off, reached 50 off 41 balls. Phillips took over in the death overs, collecting 18 off Bhuvneshwar’s 16th over. The pair added more than 100 together. Phillips made 70 off 43 balls and Jacobs 58, and New Zealand finished on 180 for 5. Arshdeep took 2 for 33 and Prince Yadav 1 for 30.
Santner Puts India on the Back Foot
India’s chase ran into trouble soon after the powerplay. Sanju Samson and Sooryavanshi were both out by the seventh over, with Sooryavanshi dismissed for 4. Abhishek Sharma made 27 off 21 balls before slogging Santner to Nathan Smith. Santner then bowled Iyer for 11 off 7 and removed Axar Patel in the same spell. India were 70 for 5 and the surface was gripping.
Santner finished with 4 for 21 from his four overs, using the slow surface to great effect. Reports credited the pitch with helping spinners and seamers alike.
Dhir Revives the Chase
New Zealand’s sloppy fielding gave India a way back. By Cricinfo’s count, four India batters were reprieved during the chase. Naman Dhir benefited from the last of those with India needing 97 off 48 balls. He hit Santner for six, then a four and a six off Michael Bracewell, and made 31 off 17 balls before Santner dismissed him. India were 112 for 6, still 69 short.
Tilak and Reddy Finish It
Tilak took over from there. He hit Nathan Smith for three fours off the first four balls of an over, then lifted him for six over deep extra cover to cut the target sharply. Reddy ran hard between the wickets and hit a four and a six in his 26 off 13 balls, playing the perfect supporting role. A wide from Duffy and a double by Reddy brought up the winning runs with one ball left.
Tilak finished unbeaten on 51 off 26 balls with six fours and a six, and was named Player of the Match for that knock and two catches in the field.
What It Means
India, who also won the first T20I at the same ground, took a 2-0 lead with three matches to play. It is a result built on batting depth, since the side picked extra batters at the cost of some bowling strength and was rewarded when it mattered. For New Zealand, the loss was another game where good bowling and a strong 180 were undone by loose fielding.
Score: New Zealand 180/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 70, Bevon Jacobs 58; Arshdeep Singh 2/33, Prince Yadav 1/30) lost to India 181/6 in 19.5 overs (Tilak Varma 51*, Naman Dhir 31, Nitish Kumar Reddy 26*; Mitchell Santner 4/21) by 4 wickets
Player of the Match: Tilak Varma (India), 51* off 26 balls and two catches
Series: India lead 2-0 in the five-match series
