India tightened their grip on the five-match T20 series against New Zealand by clinching a four-wicket win in the second encounter on Saturday. The tourists successfully chased down a target of 181 with only one delivery remaining, building on their four-wicket victory in the opening match held on Thursday. India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. India won that match by completing the highest successful T20 run chase in its history.
New Zealand’s total of 180-5 was initially bolstered by a significant fourth-wicket partnership between Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs, who combined for 116 runs. After a difficult start that saw the hosts struggle to 66-3 at the midpoint, the pair steadied the innings. Phillips contributed 70 runs off 43 balls, reaching his half-century in 48 deliveries, while Jacobs made 50 off 41 before both were eventually dismissed. Tilak came to the crease with 112 runs still needed to overtake New Zealand’s total of 180-5. Phillips finally was out for 70 from 43 balls and Jacobs followed soon after with 58 from 46 balls.
The Kiwi momentum was early interrupted by disciplined bowling during the six-over power play, which claimed openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. Unlike the opening game of the series, which featured a combined 455 runs, the second match proved far more balanced. Six-over power play, including those of openers Tim Seifert (7) and Finn Allen (16), new Zealand lost three wickets in the first.
India’s pursuit faced a major hurdle when captain Mitchell Santner dominated the middle overs, finishing with an impressive 4-21. The tourists found themselves in a precarious position after losing Sanju Samson and debutant teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cheaply, leaving them to chase 112 runs from the remaining overs with only six wickets intact.
With five overs left and 68 runs required, the pressure mounted on the visitors. However, Tilak Varma, who finished unbeaten on 51 from 26 balls, anchored the recovery. He first established a 42-run partnership with Naman Dhir, who chipped in with 31, before forging a match-winning, unbroken 69-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy. Phillips again rallied the New Zealanders as he did in the first match in which he scored an unbeaten 82 from 40 balls.
As Varma and Reddy maintained their composure, New Zealand’s fielding and bowling discipline slipped in the closing stages. India capitalized by scoring 13 runs in the 16th over, followed by nine, 17, and 18 in subsequent overs. Varma’s final-ball six in the 19th over set up a tense finish, with India needing 11 runs from the final six balls.
Tilak struck a boundary off the second ball from Jacob Duffy, and a subsequent wide made the closing moments easier for the batting side.
Reflecting on the result, India captain Shreyas Iyer praised the team’s depth, noting, “I feel that every individual in our game is a match-winner. He added, “Honestly speaking, when we lost consecutive wickets we thought that the game was going away from us, but Tilak and Reddy showed immense character.”
