Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten 26 as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the second Twenty20 international, tying the series at one game each. LUCKNOW
Yuzvendra Chahal led the spin attack for India as they held New Zealand, who won the first match of the three-match series, to 99-8 on a sluggish, shifting Lucknow track.
India then continued to lose wickets as the Kiwi bowlers dragged the game into the last over, but Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya held down the fort in the challenging run chase to help India reach the goal with one ball remaining.
No sixes were hit in either inning of the match’s 30 spin overs.
Wednesday’s game in Ahmedabad will decide the series.
Leg-spinner Chahal, the lone player changed from the team that lost the first game, bowled the fourth over of the innings and got things going with a wicket maiden.
Even though he only bowled two overs for four runs and a wicket, he set the bar high for his fellow bowlers, including left-arm fast Arshdeep Singh, who claimed two wickets.
After deciding to bat first, New Zealand’s opener Finn Allen sought to take on the Indian bowling by hitting two consecutive boundaries in the third over, but Chahal dismissed him as he attempted a reverse sweep.
