IND vs NZ 2022, 2nd T20I: Who won today’s India vs New Zealand match?

India beat New Zealand by 65 runs in Mount Maunganui in the second T20I on Sunday, November 20, to clinch a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. After the first game was washed out due to rain, the Kiwis invited the Men in Blue to bat first after winning the toss in the second match.

Suryakumar Yadav carried on with his unbelievable batting form, notching up his second T20I hundred in super-quick time - off just 49 balls. His superb knock lifted India to 191/6. New Zealand struggled in the chase and were bundled out for 126 in 18.5 overs. Skipper Kane Williamson top-scored with 61, but never threatened the Indian total.

Defending 191, Bhuvneshwar Kumar got India off to an excellent start, having Finn Allen (0) caught off the second ball of the innings. The Kiwi opener tried to launch one down the ground, but only managed to outside edge the delivery that moved away to deep third man.

Devon Conway and Williamson added 56 for the second wicket, but not at a great strike rate. The duo raised hopes of a counter-attack, taking on Washington Sundar in the seventh over, which went for 17. After Conway reverse-swept one for four, Williamson smacked a boundary and a one-handed six.

Sundar had his revenge in the next over as Conway (25 off 22) slog-swept a full ball to fine leg. Glenn Phillips came in and smacked Yuzvendra Chahal for a six over fine leg. However, the leggie had his man in the same over. He tossed one up and invited Phillips (12) for another heave. The New Zealand batter took the bait, only to be cleaned up.

Daryl Mitchell (10) then fell to the part-time spin of Deepak Hooda, miscuing a lofted hit to long-on. The hosts had lost half their side for 89 when James Neesham (0) holed out in the deep, trying to go after Chahal. Mitchell Santner (two) was the next to go, chipping a return catch to Mohammed Siraj off the leading edge.

While the result of the second T20I had become a formality, there was some consolation for the hosts as Williamson brought up his half-century by whacking Siraj for a maximum to deep backward square. The Kiwi skipper fell in the same over, the 18th of the innings, for 61 off 52 balls. He under-edged a full toss back onto the stumps.

The end for New Zealand came rather swiftly, as Hooda claimed three wickets in the 19th over to finish with figures of 4/10. Ish Sodhi was stumped for one, Tim Southee (0) sliced a big hit up in the air, while Adam Milne (six) miscued the part-timer to long off.

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Spectacular Suryakumar lifts Team India to 191/6

Suryakumar carried on his great batting form, clobbering 111* off 51 balls after New Zealand won the toss and asked India to bat. The right-handed batter thumped 11 fours and seven sixes in an exceptional display of clean hitting.

In the absence of seniors, India opened with Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan. The former’s T20 woes continued as he was dismissed for six off 13. Struggling to find any rhythm, he tried to take on Lockie Ferguson but only ended up skying the ball.

Kishan struck consecutive fours off Neesham in the seventh over before rain interrupted play. On resumption, even as Surya was getting into his groove, the Men in Blue lost Kishan at the other end. He tried to slash a short ball outside off from Sodhi, but only managed to give a catch to short third man.

Shreyas Iyer’s (13) innings was cut short as he was hit-wicket to Ferguson. New Zealand would have been hoping to apply the brakes on India’s batting, but Suryakumar decided to open up! Having raced into the 40s, he brought up his half-century off 32 balls. The bad news for the Kiwis was that the carnage had only just begun.

In the 16th over, he came down the track and lofted Santner for a maximum. In the next over, he pounded Tim Southee for a six and two fours. He then took on Milne and clubbed him for two sixes - the first was launched over the bowler’s head and the second flicked to fine leg.

He then toyed with Ferguson, pounding him for four fours and a six in the penultimate over. The third boundary of the over, driven to extra-cover, also brought up Suryakumar’s hundred. Suryakumar needed only 17 balls to reach his second fifty!

India looked set to cross 200. However, a last-over hat-trick from Southee kept the centurion at the non-striker’s end as the batting side lost skipper Hardik Pandya (13), Hooda (0), and Sundar (0) off consecutive deliveries.

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India vs New Zealand 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 2nd T20I?

Suryakumar single-handedly lifted India to a brilliant total. His superlative knock put the Kiwis on the back foot. Chahal and Siraj impressed with the ball, claiming two scalps apiece. Hooda also helped himself to four wickets as the Kiwi tailenders looked to attack him.

For New Zealand, Southee claimed a hat-trick, while skipper Williamson scored a fighting half-century.

Suryakumar was the easy choice for Player of the Match for his scintillating century.