India registered a convincing victory in the second T20 International against New Zealand at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur, defeating the visitors by 7 wickets to take a 2–0 lead in the five-match series. After the early collapse of openers, explosive knocks from Ishan Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav sealed the match in style.
New Zealand Post a Challenging Total of 208
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first. New Zealand’s batters came out attacking and posted a strong total of 208/6 in their allotted 20 overs, setting India a challenging target of 209 runs.
Captain Mitchell Santner played a composed innings, remaining unbeaten on 47, while Rachin Ravindra contributed 44 runs to stabilize the innings. The match also marked India’s 100th T20 International on home soil.
India’s Start Falters Early
India’s chase got off to a disastrous start as both openers were dismissed within the first seven balls. Sanju Samson scored 6 runs off 5 balls before getting out, while Abhishek Sharma, the hero of the previous match, was dismissed for a duck.
With India under pressure, Ishan Kishan joined captain Suryakumar Yadav at the crease to rebuild the innings.
Ishan Kishan’s Explosive Knock
Ishan Kishan launched a brutal counterattack, smashing boundaries all around the park and forcing the New Zealand fielders into defensive positions. He reached his half-century in just 21 balls, displaying fearless stroke play.
Soon after, Suryakumar Yadav shifted gears, and the duo added 122 runs in just 48 balls for the third wicket. The partnership was finally broken by Ish Sodhi.
Ishan Kishan was dismissed after a sensational innings of 76 runs off 32 balls, striking 11 fours and 4 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 237.50. His knock received praise from the team management and fellow players.
Suryakumar Yadav Ends Long Wait for Fifty
Following Kishan’s dismissal, Suryakumar Yadav continued the assault. He brought up his half-century after 14 months and 23 innings, his first T20I fifty since October 2024.
Supported well by Shivam Dube, who attacked the spinners confidently, Suryakumar finished unbeaten on 82 off 37 balls, while Dube scored 36 off 18 balls. India comfortably chased down the target with ease.
New Zealand’s Aggressive Batting Display
New Zealand started aggressively, scoring 18 runs in the first over itself. However, Harshit Rana struck early, dismissing Devon Conway to give India their first breakthrough.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy made an instant impact by dismissing Tim Seifert on his very first ball. Seifert scored 24 off 13 balls, including five boundaries.
Rachin Ravindra Keeps the Pressure On
Despite losing wickets, New Zealand continued to attack. Rachin Ravindra played a quickfire knock of 36 off 20 balls, hitting four sixes. Glenn Phillips added 19 runs before being dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav.
Captain Mitchell Santner played a crucial late cameo, remaining unbeaten on 47 off 27 balls, ensuring New Zealand crossed the 200-run mark.
Dew Troubles Indian Bowlers
Dew played a significant role in the match, making bowling difficult, especially in the second half. Arshdeep Singh conceded 18 runs in his opening over, equaling the record for the most expensive first over by an Indian bowler in T20Is.
Indian bowlers Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya picked up one wicket each, while Hardik impressed with economical bowling.
Team Changes
India made two changes to their playing XI. Kuldeep Yadav replaced the injured Axar Patel, while Harshit Rana came in for the rested Jasprit Bumrah. New Zealand also made three changes, bringing in Matt Henry, Tim Seifert, and Jacob Duffy.
