IND Vs NZ Highlights, 2nd T20I: Ishan, Suryakumar Tear Through NZ Attack As India Crush Kiwis By 7 Wickets

Hello, we are back with another live blog and it is India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I. Stay tuned for live updates.

You can watch India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I on the JioHotstar app and website and telecast on the Star Sports network.

Raipur is set for a perfect evening of cricket on Friday, January 23, with clear skies and plenty of sunshine giving way to a pleasant night. The second T20I between India and New Zealand gets underway at 7 PM IST, and there’s no threat of rain to spoil the party.

Temperatures should hover between 24°C and 17°C, while a bit of dew later in the night could come into play, don’t be surprised if the toss-winning captain opts to bowl first.

India have won the toss and have opted to field first against New Zealand.

New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

The field spreads out, the openers take their places. Devon Conway marks his guard, Tim Seifert gives him a nod from the other end. Arshdeep Singh has the new ball and the shine, jogging in with purpose. The noise builds, the anticipation rises, and with Conway on strike, the first ball of this contest is about to be unleashed. Let’s go.

And just like that, Devon Conway is on his way. Harshit Rana needs only his second ball to make an impact, rolling his fingers over a clever slower delivery that completely deceives Conway.

The shot comes too early, the timing vanishes, and the ball floats gently towards mid-off where Hardik Pandya makes no mistake. Conway’s lively 19 off just nine balls, with three boundaries and a six, comes to an abrupt end, and India draw first blood with a big early breakthrough.

Ravindra wastes no time. Varun Chakaravarthy drifts in round the wicket, teasing with a googly, but Ravindra is ready. He crouches just enough, gets under it, and sends it flying over deep mid-wicket, that’s a massive six, straight out of the middle of the bat, soaring 94 meters! What a statement shot to get the innings going.

Just when it looked like a partnership was building, Kuldeep Yadav reminds everyone why he’s dangerous. Phillips had been handling him well, but this time the googly fools him completely. He swings hard, trying to go against the spin to the leg side, only to get a leading edge.

The ball balloons straight to backward point, and Hardik Pandya takes it comfortably. Phillips’ 19 off 13, two fours and a six, comes to an end, and India hit back in style.

And Shivam Dube joins the party! In just three balls, he shatters the partnership with a perfectly disguised slower off-cutter at 108.8 kph. Mitchell reaches for the big shot, loses his bottom hand, and skies it straight up, right into Hardik Pandya’s hands.

Calm and collected, Hardik claims his third catch of the match. Mitchell departs for 18 off 11, with three crisp fours, and India are back in control.

Santner punishes a rare mistake from Kuldeep Yadav. A flighted delivery drifts into a full toss, and Santner keeps it simple, a clean, elegant drive for four. No overhitting, just perfect placement, and the scoreboard ticks nicely.

Santner is on fire! Harshit Rana pitches it short and angled across, but Santner reads it perfectly, carving it square on the off-side. The sweeper barely moves, and even Arshdeep doesn’t bother chasing, four runs, smooth and effortless.

India clawed back after a flying start from New Zealand, keeping them to 208/6. Conway and Seifert raced away early, taking 18 off Arshdeep in his first two overs, but both openers fell inside the powerplay.

Rachin, Phillips, and Mitchell tried to rebuild, only to be dismissed in the middle overs, while Santner’s late cameo pushed the total past 200. With dew and the ball coming nicely onto the bat, India have a chaseable target, but it will take a solid effort to get over the line.

Here we go, the chase gets an early jolt! Samson takes strike, facing Matt Henry, but he can’t resist the big shot early. Henry bowls a length delivery, and Samson goes aerial, straight into the safe hands of Rachin Ravindra at mid-on.

No slip-ups this time; Ravindra holds on comfortably. That earlier dropped chance didn’t hurt India, and now Samson departs for 6 off 5, his towering six the only highlight. Conway will be quietly pleased, India strikes back immediately.

Disaster for India as Abhishek Sharma departs for a golden duck! Jacob Duffy strikes early with a perfectly pitched length delivery, and Sharma tries to flick it but skies it straight to Devon Conway at deep square leg.

Conway takes it comfortably, and just like that, both openers are back in the hut inside two overs. A dream start for New Zealand, and India are on the back foot immediately.

Ishan Kishan finishes the over in style. Foulkes delivers on the pads, and Kishan doesn’t hesitate, a powerful flick sails straight over fine leg for six. That’s 24 runs conceded in the first over alone, and India are off to a blazing start.

And Suryakumar Yadav joins the party in style! Matt Henry overpitches, and SKY doesn’t miss out, a clean, thunderous drive straight down the ground, racing away to the long-on boundary. India keep the momentum rolling, and the crowd is loving this start.

And there it is, fifty for Ishan Kishan, and what a way to get there! Just 21 balls, inside the powerplay, pure mayhem. Matt Henry slips in a low full toss outside off, Kishan stretches out and casually chips it over wide mid-off, the ball racing away to the fence. Half-century up, fireworks all around, and India are absolutely flying here.

Suryakumar Yadav is turning this into a nightmare for Foulkes! He tries the slower bouncer, but SKY reads it early, swivels into the hook, and sends it flying over fine leg, straight into India’s dugout. That’s huge, and the pressure on the bowler just keeps piling up.

And that’s the end of a sensational knock, Ishan Kishan finally has to walk back. Ish Sodhi slips in the googly, Ishan shuffles across looking for one more big slog, but only manages a thick top edge. The ball hangs in the air and Matt Henry at short fine leg makes no mistake.

Big moment, big wicket. SKY rushes in to give Ishan a warm hug as he heads off after a blazing 76 off just 32 balls, eleven fours, four sixes, and a standing ovation from everyone watching. What an innings.

And there it is, Suryakumar Yadav has his fifty at last! After more than a year of waiting, SKY finds the milestone in T20Is, and he does it with trademark ease.

Jacob Duffy offers a bit of width, and SKY simply opens the face, carving it sweetly through the off-side for a single. A well-timed landmark, four T20I hundreds already to his name, and now a much-needed half-century to anchor this chase.

Oh no, that one should have stuck, Suryakumar Yadav gets a huge life! He miscues the lofted drive straight towards mid-off, Santner moves across and gets both hands to it, and somehow puts it down.

Absolute sitter, and it sums up Foulkes’ night perfectly. Fifty already leaked, no wickets, and now even the chances refuse to go his way. One of those evenings every bowler wants to forget.

Jacob Duffy bangs it in short and wide, and Suryakumar Yadav throws his hands at it, slapping it hard straight to cover. No run, but the intent is loud and clear, SKY is hunting boundaries, and that hundred feels closer with every swing.

India cruised to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Raipur, storming to 209/3 in just 15.2 overs to take a 2–0 series lead. After early losses of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan smashed 76 off 32 to seize control before Suryakumar Yadav sealed it with an unbeaten 82, alongside Shivam Dube (36*).

Zak Foulkes had a nightmare, conceding a record 67 in three overs. Earlier, New Zealand posted 208/6 with Santner’s 47* and Ravindra’s 44, but India’s bowlers pulled things back to set up a commanding chase.

That’s a wrap from Raipur. India dominate New Zealand and take a 2–0 series lead. We’ll be back with more live action soon. Bye for now.