Chasing a big target of 209 with ease, India defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in Raipur and advanced 2-0 in the five-match T20I series. The chase was completed in just 15.2 overs, highlighting the gulf between the two sides on the night.
India lost both openers early but the run rate never dipped. From the moment the third wicket pair came together, the match was one-sided with India keeping complete control of the chase from start to finish.
Ishan Kishan set the tone with a blistering knock of 76 off just 32 balls. He raced to fifty in just 21 deliveries and completely dominated the powerplay, taking on New Zealand’s pace attack with fearless stroke play.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav looked back to his best. The Indian skipper scored an unbeaten 82 and registered his first T20I fifty in over a year. His highlight came when he defeated Zakary Foulkes by 25 runs in one over, dashing all hopes of a comeback.
Despite the early dismissals of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, India stayed well ahead of the game. By the 12th the required run-rate was already under six, showing how comfortably the chase was progressing.
Shivam Dube scored with quick runs to ensure there were no late hiccups. India crossed the line with 28 balls to spare, drawing loud cheers from the crowd at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 208 for six after being put in to bat. Devon Conway and Tim Seifert got them off to a flying start, but India hit back in the powerplay through Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Rachin Ravindra scored 44 and Glenn Phillips counter-attacked to keep New Zealand on track. However, wickets in the middle overs slowed the momentum with Kuldeep Yadav and Dube making key breakthroughs.
Mitchell Santner’s unbeaten 47 and some late strikes from Foulkes pushed New Zealand past the 200 mark. Even then, the total on the night proved well below India’s batting level.
Under captain Suryakumar Yadav, India’s explosive top and middle order once again showed why they are seen as strong contenders to defend their T20 World Cup title from next month.
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