Tilak Varma is taking India close.
India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I: India pulled off a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. They have now taken a 2-0 lead in the series. Put in to bat, New Zealand slipped to 41/3 before Glenn Phillips (70 off 43) and Bevon Jacobs (58 off 46) stitched together a 116-run partnership to lift the hosts to 180/5. Arshdeep Singh claimed two wickets for India….Read More
Chasing 181, India slumped to 70/5 in the 11th over as captain Mitchell Santner ripped through the batting order with figures of 4/21. Naman Dhir contributed 31, but the visitors were still struggling at 112/6/. Tilak Varma then took charge, finishing unbeaten on 51 off 26 balls, while Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 26 not out off 13. Their unbeaten 69-run partnership carried India home with one delivery remaining.
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Oct 24, 2026, 16:12:43 IST
Good length at the middle and leg. Whipped away towards square leg for a couple of runs. India have won the game!!!!! They have taken a 2-0 lead. This was great effort from the team. The chips were down, but Varma did not surrender. Brilliant finish!!!
Oct 24, 2026, 16:09:53 IST
Half-century for Tilak Varma
WHAT A KNOCK THIS HAS BEEN!!!! He really thrives under pressure. He took his time, played the situation and changed gears at the right moment. India now need four runs off three balls.
Oct 24, 2026, 16:05:36 IST
Brilliant batting by Tilak Varma
Three boundaries and then a six to end the over. 18 runs off that over and India now need just 11 runs off the final six balls. What brilliant batting under pressure!!!! Absolute brilliance from the left-hander. A dramatic turn-around from the visitors. They are well on-course to take a 2-0 lead in this series.
Oct 24, 2026, 16:00:42 IST
Huge over for India. Great temperament from Tilak Varma. India get 17 runs off the 18th over. They now need 29 runs off 12 balls. With Varma and Reddy in full flow this looks very much achievable.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:56:38 IST
Three overs left and India need 46 to win. The biggest factor could be Matt Henry’s absence. Reports suggest that he will not be avaible to bowl his final two overs. Nitish Reddy and Tilak Varma can both clear the ropes and they have a great chance from here on. This could be a sensational win for India if they get over the line.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:53:28 IST
New Zealand looking to take pace off the ball
Even the pacers of New Zealand are looking to bowl slower. Lockier Ferguson is using a lot of cutters and slowers here. India still need 50 runs to in from 21 balls. The way the pitch has gone it is going to be difficult for the visitors.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:42:38 IST
MICTHELL SANTNER YOU BEAUTY!!!!! He gets his fourth wicket!!!! He slows up the delivery at the off stump. Dhir looks to go for the drive and is beaten by the flight and lack of pace. The ball goes in the air and straight into the hands of the man at cover. India lose their sixth and New Zealand have got the wicket of the batter, who was looking really dangerous.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:37:56 IST
Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma are looking to keep India in the hunt. This will be a great test for the duo, especially Dhir. He has the chance of sealing the spot in the middle order as a finisher. This game can go down the wire from here. Dhir is looking great in the middle.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:32:14 IST
Full ball at the off stump. Dhir looks to go inside out but ends up playing it towards point. The ball was at a comfortable height and should have been an easy take. But Jacobs drops it and Dhir survives. Will New Zealand pay the price for this mistake?
Oct 24, 2026, 15:23:17 IST
AXAR PATEL GOES!!!! WHAT AN EFFORT!!!! Hit in the air towards long-on. Finn Allen in the deep takes the catch, goes outside and then throws it back while being airborne, Daryl Mitchell completes the catch. India lose another. There will be a check for the catch and the replays show that it was cleanly taken. India are left in tatters here.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:20:48 IST
BOWLED HIM!!!!! Shreyas Iyer departs. Santner picks up a big wicket. Classing left arm spin bowling from the Kiwi Skipper. Tossed up delivery at the middle and leg. The ball just did not arrive for the shot Shreyas Iyer attempted. He went across the line and was completely beaten by the flight. The ball crashes into the middle and leg stick and that is the end of stay for Iyer.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:16:16 IST
Halfway through the chase
That is the end of the 10th over in the Indian innings. That was a good over for the visitors. India have sent in Axar Patel to inject some momentum into the innings and he hit a wonderful six in that over. Indi are now 66/3 after 10 overs. They now need 115 runs to win the game off 60 balls.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:10:56 IST
IN THE AIR!!!! That has gone hiiiiigh up in the air!!!! Nathan Smith stays composed and takes a brilliant catch. Abhishek Sharma departs and India are struggling here at 56/3.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:09:06 IST
Mitchell Santner, the skipper of New Zealand team comes into the attack. New Zealand is trying to take pace off the delivery. They are not providing the pace for the batters to take advantage and get going. This will be a big test for the Indian middle order.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:07:24 IST
Michael Bracewell is not giving anything away, and scoring runs has become difficult altogether. Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma are knocking it around, but something needs to give.
India 54/2 in 8 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 15:01:39 IST
Sooryavanshi disappoints!
Oh no, it’s not a happy return to India’s playing XI for Sooryavanshi. The youngster lasts just eight balls in the middle, scoring four. Nathan Smith with the second wicket for New Zealand. It was a hard length delivery, and Sooryavanshi didn’t get any sort of timing, as he went for a big booming drive. Daryl Mitchell completes the simple catch.
India 44/2 in 6.2 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:57:45 IST
Michael Bracewell beat the youngster in flight, and it seemed like a simple catch for Bevon Jacobs at backward point. However, he lost the ball in the lights and the 15-year-old lives to fight another day. Mitchell Santner is not pleased and rightly so.
Bracewell gives away just three runs in the final over of the powerplay. New Zealand close it out nicely.
India 44/1 in 6 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:55:16 IST
What an ovation for Sooryavanshi
As soon as Sooryavanshi started to walk out, the crowd in Christchurch was on its feet, and he received a standing ovation. Imagine having that sort of impact when you are just 15 years old? As we speak, the youngster has gotten off the mark.
India 41/1 in 5 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:53:09 IST
Jacob Duffy bowls a back-of-the-hand slower delivery, and Sanju Samson ends up mistiming the ball in search of a big shot. Glenn Phillips doesn’t need a second invitation to take the catch. First wicket falls for India. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi now joins Abhishek in the middle.
India 40/1 in 4.4 overs
Oct 24, 2026, 14:47:11 IST
Lockie Ferguson, that’s poor bowling
Just like the series opener, Lockie Ferguson is easing all sorts of pressure. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are having no trouble in picking up boundaries off him. To make matters worse, he dishes out a no-ball but luckily for New Zealand, India are not able to make the most of it.
India 35/0 in 3.4 overs
Oct 24, 2026, 14:45:18 IST
SIX! Sanju just about survives!
Lockie Ferguson is greeted with a maximum. Sanju Samson goes aerial towards long-on, where Mitchell Santner was waiting. The Kiwi captain gets his hands to the delivery, but he ends up going over the boundary. Another six added to India’s total, and the Men in Blue are now off to a good start.
India 28/0 in 3.1 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:42:34 IST
A thing of beauty from Abhishek Sharma. That’s some shot. Abhishek dances down the track and makes some room to free his hands. The natural swing of the bat takes it over the cover area for a maximum. India are now up and running in the chase.
With this six, Abhishek also brings up 1000 T20Is in 2026. Some form he has been in this year.
India 22/0 in 2.5 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:39:41 IST
FOUR! Samson says enough is enough!
Sanju Samson makes some room to hit the ball straight down the ground. His first boundary of the game comes off Matt Henry’s bowling.
India 15/0 in 2.1 overs
Oct 24, 2026, 14:36:26 IST
Duffy what have you done?
Jacob Duffy bowled a good bouncer and Abhishek Sharma holed out in the deep. But it turns out to be a no-ball. Costly costly error from the Kiwi pacer. To rub salt onto the wounds, Abhishek hits the free hit for a boundary. The last delivery of the over also goes for a four. What started off well, ends in complete horror for Duffy.
India 11/0 in 2 overs.
Oct 24, 2026, 14:29:30 IST
Terrific start for Henry!
Wonderful line and length from Matt Henry. Sanju Samson gives himself some room but misses it altogether. Both Henry and Samson played together at CSK this year, and both players know a lot of things about each other. Maiden to start off with.
India 0/0
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