India vs New Zealand highlights, 2nd T20I: Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan shine as India crush New Zealand by 7 wickets, go 2-0 up

Abhishek Sharma has evolved into one of the most destructive T20I batters in recent times, but that does not stop him from continuing to seek improvement.

After playing a crucial role in Wednesday’s win over New Zealand, the left-hander dissected his weakness, where he stated that he “doesn’t have a lot of shots” at his disposal and how he depends more on his “timing” to hit the ball over the boundary, as muscling it is not his forte.

But he makes up for it with his ultraaggressive approach and not allowing bowlers to settle. That method has brought him rewards, and India the results. Post the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 25-year-old has hit the most sixes among full member nations, with 81 maximums from 33 innings, but if one thinks he just deals in sixes, you are mistaken, as he keeps rotating the strike as well. In Nagpur, where he hit eight sixes off the 35 balls he faced, but only seven of those deliveries were dots, including the ball on which he was dismissed.

That “intent” to go hard from ball one has worked wonders for India as well. Since Abhishek’s debut, they never lost a match after posting 200-plus totals. With the Punjab batter in the mix of things, Men in Blue have crossed that mark on 10 occasions and won all those matches. During those wins, he has scored two centuries and three fifties.

The numbers get scary when Sanju Samson is thrown in the mix of things, as eight of those wins came when both opened the innings, and either of them went on to score 50-plus runs in seven innings. Samson himself scored three centuries during that period.

Following India’s win over New Zealand in the first T20I, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull praised Abhishek Sharma and Rinku Singh for their impactful knocks, while also pointing out that the latter has not played enough T20I cricket for India and, given his finishing ability, should have featured in far more matches by now.

Abhishek continued his prolific run at the top of the order with a blistering 35-ball 84, studded with five fours and eight sixes, while Rinku’s quickfire 44 not out off 20 balls powered India to 238 for seven in their 20 overs in the first T20I against the Kiwis in Nagpur, which the hosts won by 48 runs.

Despite being a regular in the Indian setup during 2023–24 with 30 appearances, Rinku managed just five T20Is and three innings last year, scoring 43 runs with a highest score of 30. However, following his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad, the left-hander has made the most of his opportunities at the start of this year and will be keen to produce more match-winning knocks to cement his place as a first-choice finisher.

Speaking on Cricket Live, JioStar expert Simon said, "The power game of Abhishek at the top is just a pleasure to watch. The way he hits the ball on the offside as well as the leg side, he does not really go cross-bat a lot. It is more of a straight bat, even off the spinners. He just rolls the wrists, gets the timing as well. Then you go through that order down to Rinku Singh, who is one of the best finishers. We saw him burst onto the scene in the IPL, maybe four or five years ago. I still think he hasn't played enough T20 cricket for India in that time. I thought he should have played a lot more; he should have played 100 games by now. I think he just needs to be batting in that finishing role. He is a brilliant finisher and, being such a short man but really powerful, his ability to get under the ball late in the piece makes him so hard to bowl at."

Since making his debut in 2023, Rinku has represented India in 36 T20Is, scoring 594 runs at an average of 45.69 and a strike rate of 165, with three half-centuries in 26 innings and a highest score of 69 not out.

Doull also highlighted India’s intensity while defending a big total, noting that the hosts were not complacent despite having 239 on the board, with Arshdeep Singh setting the tone by dismissing Devon Conway early. He went on to discuss the bowling roles expected for the remainder of the series and during the middle overs, while also expressing concern over Axar Patel, who walked off the field after hurting his finger while attempting a catch.

"It is quite easy to get a little bit complacent when you've got such a big total to defend, but I don't think they were. Up front, I thought it was really nice starting over from Arshdeep Singh. We expect the role of opening the bowling to be Hardik Pandya's throughout the rest of this series and through the World Cup, and they will use Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy through the middle more often than not, so I think that's going to be a role they'll look forward to. The concern will be around Axar. Hopefully, he is okay. He is such a key part of this side, not only with the ball but with the bat in the field. So, I think they predominantly stuck to their task really well. Outside of a few bits of fielding, fielding was not really up to scratch, but India were just a little more polished, I think," he concluded.

After opening the five-match T20I series with a commanding win, India will aim to carry forward the momentum when they face New Zealand in the second match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday.

Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India began their build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup in emphatic fashion, registering a dominant 48-run victory over the Black Caps in the series opener in Nagpur on Wednesday. The result handed the hosts a 1–0 lead and an opportunity to tighten their grip on the series.

India’s batting unit delivered a powerful display in the opening T20I, spearheaded by opener Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a blistering 84 off just 35 balls. The 25-year-old left-hander struck five fours and eight sixes, setting the platform for a mammoth total.

The middle order provided solid support, with Rinku Singh remaining unbeaten on 44, while captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya made valuable contributions as India posted 238 for seven in their 20 overs.

India’s bowlers then ensured there were no late hiccups. Varun Chakaravarthy and Shivam Dube picked up two wickets each as New Zealand were kept in check, restricted to 190 for seven despite a spirited resistance.

For the visitors, Glenn Phillips stood out with a fighting 78 off 40 deliveries, but the lack of support at the other end proved costly.

New Zealand’s top-ranked bowler Jacob Duffy continued his impressive form from last year, returning figures of two for 27 in his four overs. His performance will be crucial as the Black Caps look to mount a strong comeback in the second T20I.

India have played just one T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, beating Australia by 20 runs in 2023. The pitch at the venue has historically assisted spinners, who have enjoyed greater success than seamers. In the only match played there, spinners claimed wickets at an average of 18.16 and conceded just 6.41 runs per over, while pacers went at 9.17 an over.

Phillips is also closing in on a milestone, needing three more sixes to complete 100 maximums in T20Is, and is four catches away from reaching 150 catches in T20 cricket. For India, Hardik Pandya requires five more sixes to bring up 200 maximums across international formats, while Rinku Singh is just 59 runs short of completing 3,500 runs in T20 cricket.

With the series still in its early stages, India will be keen to build on the confidence gained from the opening encounter and are unlikely to make changes to their playing XI as they chase a 2–0 lead.

New Zealand, meanwhile, will be desperate to bounce back and level the series, seeking sharper bowling and greater consistency from their batting line-up to counter India’s aggressive approach.

The massive total in Nagpur also helped India negate the dew factor.

"The way we batted, even after when we were put under pressure in the powerplay, we were 25-2, and then we took the game till the 15th over, and then we never stopped, all the batters I think played their role really well and I think that was a big plus point," said Suryakumar after the win.

Dew is expected again here, and no total can be considered safe, as South Africa demonstrated last month by comfortably chasing down 359 against India in an ODI.

New Zealand are aware they fell short with the ball in the first match, but as a side known for learning and adapting quickly, the Black Caps will back themselves to bounce back and level the series. They may, however, have concerns over Devon Conway’s recent dismissals, having been caught in the slip cordon off away-moving deliveries.

"We were put under pressure with the ball throughout the innings. And I think, you know, there's no real, you know, try and squeeze a couple of dots moments with this team, you've just got to be on from ball one to win it," said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner.

SQUADS:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.

Sanju Samson will be keen to find his rhythm in a much-needed settled role at the top of the order, while Ishan Kishan will look to make the most of limited opportunities when India take on New Zealand in the second T20 international here on Friday.

In and out of the playing XI through no fault of his own, Samson is now set for an extended run in the side ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup. After a soft dismissal in the series opener, the wicketkeeper-batter will be eager to showcase the wide range of shots that has helped him score three hundreds in the shortest format.

Kishan is another batter under pressure to justify the team management’s faith. A surprise inclusion in the World Cup squad, the left-hander was preferred over Shreyas Iyer in Nagpur on Wednesday night. He looked fluent during his brief stay before being caught at cover. With batting depth extending till No. 8, most Indian batters have adopted an all-out attacking approach, and Kishan is expected to continue with that fearless style, hoping it delivers results.

Attention has also been on captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form ahead of the ICC event. While he did not produce a major score, his 32 off 22 balls would have boosted his confidence.

Despite a few individual areas of improvement emerging from an emphatic win in the opening T20I, India’s overall performance sent ominous signals to rivals, with the defending champions shaping up strongly for the World Cup.

If India are to become the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title, Abhishek Sharma will need to continue his explosive starts at the top of the order, as he did on Wednesday night. The left-hander appears to be in the form of his life, displaying a rare ability to clear the boundary with remarkable consistency.

In the lower order, Rinku Singh’s return to the side and his immediate impact was another major positive. Even without Kuldeep Yadav, India’s bowling attack looks well balanced. If Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya continue to strike in the powerplay, Jasprit Bumrah can be held back for three overs after the initial phase, providing India with an extra weapon through the middle overs.

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of second T20I between India and New Zealand at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.

WHAT: India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I

WHEN: 7:00 PM IST

TOSS: 6:30 PM

WHERE: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur

NEW ZEALAND - Probable XI: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kristian Clarke/Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

INDIA - Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun CV

WHAT THEY SAID:

"I don't feel it [six-hitting] is a high risk game. I wouldn't say it's my comfort zone, but it's like I've always wanted the team to be first [priority]. Because they want to use the first six overs [well]. That's what I've been practicing in the nets as well" - Abhishek Sharma

"I think he's shown his class over the last few years for us. He's kind of taken that senior bowling role for us and when he swings it up top, it's nice" - Mitchell Santner