In a spectacular display of aggressive batting, India chased down a formidable target of 209 with 28 balls to spare, defeating New Zealand by seven wickets in the second T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on January 23, 2026. This victory gives India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series, showcasing their depth and firepower in the shortest format.
New Zealand’s Innings: A Solid Start Fades into a Competitive Total
India won the toss and elected to bowl first, anticipating dew to aid the chase later in the evening. Under clear skies with temperatures ranging from 17-24°C, New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Tim Seifert provided a blistering start. Conway smashed 18 runs off Arshdeep Singh’s opening over, including two fours, a six, and another four, setting an aggressive tone. Seifert joined the party with boundaries off Arshdeep, helping NZ race to 43/1 in four overs.
However, the momentum shifted as India clawed back with key wickets. Conway (19 off 9) was caught by Hardik Pandya off Harshit Rana after toe-ending a slower delivery. Seifert (24 off 13) fell to Varun Chakaravarthy, top-edging a wrong’un to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps. Glenn Phillips (19 off 13) and Daryl Mitchell (18 off 11) tried to rebuild, with Mitchell hitting boundaries off Abhishek Sharma, but both perished in the middle overs—Phillips caught by Hardik off Kuldeep Yadav, and Mitchell miscuing a slower ball from Shivam Dube to Hardik again.
Rachin Ravindra anchored the innings with a brisk 44 off 26 balls, including sixes off Varun and Rana, forming a 42-run partnership with Mark Chapman (10 off 13). Ravindra was eventually caught by Arshdeep off Kuldeep, who finished with impressive figures of 2/35. Chapman followed soon after, caught by Abhishek off Hardik’s off-cutter.
Captain Mitchell Santner provided the late flourish, remaining unbeaten on 47 off 27 balls (6 fours, 1 six). He smashed 17 runs off Rana’s 18th over with a six and two fours, and added more boundaries off Varun. Zakary Foulkes contributed with a six off Arshdeep in the final over, helping New Zealand post a competitive 208/6.
New Zealand Batting Scorecard:
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devon Conway | 19 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Tim Seifert | 24 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 44 | 26 | 3 | 2 |
| Glenn Phillips | 19 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 18 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Mark Chapman | 10 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitchell Santner (c) (not out) | 47 | 27 | 6 | 1 |
| Zakary Foulkes (not out) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
India Bowling Figures:
- Kuldeep Yadav: 2/35
- Other notable: Shivam Dube (1 wicket), Hardik Pandya (1 wicket), Varun Chakaravarthy (1 wicket), Harshit Rana (1 wicket)
India’s Explosive Chase: Kishan and Suryakumar Steal the Show
Chasing 209, India suffered early setbacks but recovered spectacularly. Sanju Samson (6) was caught by Rachin Ravindra off Matt Henry in the first over, and Abhishek Sharma (0) fell to Jacob Duffy, caught by Conway in the second. At 12/2, the chase looked tricky, but Ishan Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav turned the game on its head.
Kishan unleashed a ferocious counterattack, smashing 76 off 32 balls (11 fours, 4 sixes). He reached his half-century with a six and four off Henry, dominating the powerplay as India reached 103/2 in 8 overs. Kishan was eventually dismissed by Ish Sodhi’s googly, edging to Henry at short fine leg.
Suryakumar then took charge, scoring an unbeaten 82 off 37 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes). Partnering with Shivam Dube (36* off 18), they added an unbroken stand that sealed the win. Key moments included Suryakumar’s six off Henry, Dube’s four and six off Sodhi, and a barrage of boundaries off Foulkes. Dube hit the winning runs as India finished at 209/3 in 15.2 overs.
India Batting Scorecard:
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ishan Kishan | 76 | 32 | 11 | 4 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) (not out) | 82 | 37 | 9 | 4 |
| Shivam Dube (not out) | 36 | 18 | 2 | 3 |
New Zealand Bowling Figures:
- Ish Sodhi: 1/34
- Matt Henry: 1 wicket
- Jacob Duffy: 1 wicket
Key Performances and Match Impact
Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form as captain was pivotal, earning him praise for his innovative strokeplay. Ishan Kishan’s explosive innings set the foundation, while Kuldeep Yadav’s spin wizardry (2/35) restricted New Zealand in the middle overs. For New Zealand, Santner’s late blitz kept them in the game, but their bowlers struggled against India’s onslaught.
This win underlines India’s dominance at home and sets the stage for the third T20I. With the series in the bag, India will look to experiment, while New Zealand aims to salvage pride.
