After a 21-run defeat in the opening T20I in Ranchi, Team India will look to pull things back in the ongoing three-match series when they face New Zealand in the second T20I. The encounter is scheduled to be played at the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, January 29.
On a spin-friendly track in Ranchi, the Indian batters only played catch-ups in their pursuit of 176 runs that were scored by the Kiwis in their first innings. While Suryakumar Yadav scored a well-made 47 and Washington Sundar hit his maiden T20I half-century, other Indian batters totally underperformed against a quality New Zealand spin attack.
With a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series, the visitors unit will hope to continue their clinical form. Team India, meanwhile, will hope to make a comeback in the series and execute their plans aptly in the second T20I.
The second T20 international match in Lucknow offers both teams a chance to break a number of records. Let's take a look at three of these records that will be vulnerable during the upcoming fixture.
#3 Hardik Pandya can become the Indian fielder with the third-most catches in T20Is
Being the senior-most member of the current T20 side, Hardik Pandya has been a great contributor with the bat and ball, and on the field as well.
With 42 catches in 84 innings as an outfielder, Pandya is currently the joint-third-highest alongside Suresh Raina on the list of Indians with the most catches in T20Is.
If Pandya holds onto at least one catch in the upcoming second T20I, he will surpass Raina and will have the third-most catches as an Indian outfielder in the shortest format of the game.
Only Rohit Sharma (58) and Virat Kohli (50) have taken more catches than Pandya in T20Is.
#2 Suryakumar Yadav needs six more maximums to complete 100 T20I sixes
Since his debut in 2021, Suryakumar Yadav has taken T20I cricket by storm and has been a true match-winner for India.
With his unorthodox and flamboyant strokeplay, the Mumbai Indians (MI) cricketer has hit a total of 94 T20I sixes in just 44 innings. If he manages to hit six more on Sunday, he will not only complete a century of T20I sixes but will also become the fastest-ever player to reach the milestone.
While hitting six maximums in an innings is no mean feat, if we can bank on one player to do so every time he steps onto the field it is none other than Suryakumar Yadav.
#1 New Zealand can end India's 12-T20I series undefeated run at home
In the upcoming second T20I in Lucknow, New Zealand will have a golden chance of causing an upset and ending India's dominant run at home.
If Mitchell Santner and Co. manage to trounce the Men in Blue on Sunday, it will be India's first-ever T20I and defeat at home in four years. The last time India lost a T20I bilateral series at home was against Australia in February 2019.
Moreover, if the Blackcaps do take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing series, it will be New Zealand's maiden three-match T20I bilateral series win against India away from home.
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