India put on a brilliant chase to record a nail-biting four-wicket victory against New Zealand in the second T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Saturday (October 24) to gain a dominant 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing a massive 181, the visitors were in serious trouble after losing 5 wickets for just 70. But a 69-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy proved to be too much for their opponents, as they won with one ball left to play.
Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs rescue New Zealand
New Zealand struggled after winning the toss and lost 3 quick wickets to fall to just 41. But a huge partnership between Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs helped turn their innings around.
Phillips hit a brutal 70 off just 43 balls, while Jacobs added 58 off 46. This helped the home side recover from their early problems to post a competitive 180/5 from their 20 overs.
Arshdeep Singh took 2 wickets to spearhead the Indian bowling attack. But the late rally from the New Zealand batters made it a tough chase for the visitors.
Mitchell Santner takes the Indian attack apart
India struggled to chase down the 181 targets as wickets fell regularly during the middle overs. But New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner took full advantage of the pressure and took 4 wickets for just 21 runs as the visitors were left reeling at 70/5 in the 11th over.
Naman Dhir tried to steady the innings with 31 runs, but the loss of his wicket meant the visitors were in a hole at 112/6.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy shine
Tilak hit a sensational 51 not out of a mere 26 balls. He played very composed and accelerated during the crucial moments. At the other end Nitish Kumar Reddy remained unbeaten on 26 off 13 deliveries.
The partnership of 69 was crucial in turning a tricky chase into a memorable victory. Tilak played composed under pressure while Nitish hit some timely shots to help India past the winning line.
The victory showed how resilient they are as Santner had them in trouble with his devastating spell. But with a 2-0 lead, India will look to keep the momentum going in the third T20I. New Zealand will need to regroup quickly.