Star batter of India Suryakumar Yadav and captain Hardik Pandya held their nerves to guide India to a hard-fought 6-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second T20I encounter here at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday.
India level three-match T20I series 1-1 with a nervy 6-wicket win. While chasing, India could not accelerate and it took another gritty known from Suryakumar to get them over the line. Chasing 100, India got off to a bad start as they lost opener Shubman Gill for 11 runs. The duo of Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tripathi then handled the charge as they slammed boundaries at regular intervals. However, the partnership could not stand longer as Ishan Kishan was sent packing after scoring 19 off 32 balls.
In the 11th over of the game, Rahul Tripathi was dismissed on the stunning delivery of Ish Sodhi. Tripathi went back into the hut after 13 runs. India kept losing wickets at regular intervals and batters were unable to stitch up a solid partnership. In the 15th over of the match, Washington Sundar was unable to do much for his team and was removed by Tickner on run out. Hardik Pandya then came out to bat. The duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya accelerated Team India’s innings as the duo kept pilling runs while taking singles. In the last over India needed 6 runs to win. Blair Tickner was handed the ball for the last over, the New Zealand bowler delivered some great balls but it could not stop Suryakumar Yadav from slamming a FOUR on the fifth ball of the over and claiming the six-wicket nervy victory for India.
Opted to bat first, New Zealand got off to a decent start as Finn Allen opened his hands and slammed some strong boundaries. However, Allen’s stint at the crease was cut short by Yuzvendra Chahal, who bowled the New Zealand batter for 11 off 10. In the 5th over of the innings, Washington Sundar joined the party as he removed Devon Conway for 11 runs, leaving New Zealand tottering at 28/2.
Glenn Phillips was then sent back to the pavilion after scoring mere 5 runs by Deepak Hooda. Dangerous batter Daryl Mitchell then came out to bat.
It did not take Indian bowlers to send Mitchell packing after scoring 8 runs. After 10 over New Zealand were tottering at 48/4.
The visitors were unable to score more than 99 runs in 20 overs as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Deep Hooda, and Washington Sundar all claimed one wicket. Arshdeep Singh bagged two wickets. Mitchell Santner scored the highest for New Zealand for 19* off 23 balls.
Brief Score: New Zealand 99 (Mitchell Santner 19, Michael Bracewell 14, Arshdeep Singh 2-7) vs India 101- 4 (Suryakumar Yadav 26*, Ishan Kishan 19; Michael Bracewell 1-13).
