India continued their dominant run in the T20 series against New Zealand with a commanding seven-wicket victory in the second match at Raipur on Friday, taking a 2–0 lead in the five-match series. Put in to bat, New Zealand exploded out of the blocks following a dazzling effort from Rachin Ravindra.
The left-hander wasted no time in taking on the Indian attack, smashing 44 from 26 deliveries. Handy contributions from the rest of the top order made a big difference as the Black Caps raced to a strong start. Lower in the order, captain Mitchell Santner stepped up in style, scoring an unbeaten 47 from 27 balls to help New Zealand cross the 200 mark, finishing on 208/6.
Chasing the target, India got off to a shaky start, with both openers, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, getting dismissed cheaply. However, Ishan Kishan launched a stunning counterattack, dismantling the New Zealand bowling with a blistering 76 off 32 balls. His innings totally flipped the momentum and put India back into the chase. After Kishan’s dismissal, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav played a key role, producing a magnificent 82 unbeaten to lead India's chase. Shivam Dube, who chipped in with a timely 36 unbeaten, provided valuable support. Both batters guided India home in 15.2 overs, scoring 209/3