Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Nov 20: India defeated Kane Williamson’s team in Mount Maunganui by a comfortable margin of 65 runs on Sunday, continuing their impressive recent run in bilateral cricket.
In the second T20I, captain Hardik Pandya checked all the necessary boxes, helping the visitors take an unblemished 1-0 series lead. India made the most of their Sunday game time at the Bay Oval after the first T20I in Wellington was postponed due to inclement weather.
The opportunity to prove their class was presented by the senior players taking a break, including the skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul. They were able to do so with some measure of success.
Suryakumar Yadav, who picked up where he left off at the T20 World Cup in Australia, was the night’s standout, though.
Suryakumar Yadav threw his hand up and declared he is ready to be the backbone of a prospective new-look team, smashing his second T20I century, in what is being hailed as the beginning of a new era for India’s T20I cricket. Suryakumar’s incredible 51-ball of 111 not out included 7 sixes and 11 boundaries.
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Suryakumar Yadav showed his talent by scoring over 200 even on a day when the other hitters, including New Zealand skipper Williamson, struggled for runs on what was undoubtedly not the easiest of wickets to bat on.
Meanwhile, Williamson’s struggle in the middle was ended by Mohammed Siraj, who excelled with two wickets, and Yuzvendra Chahal, a leg-spinner, who finished with two for twenty-six. After warming the benches during the T20 World Cup, Chahal came back into the lineup and took out Neesham and Phillips, giving India a breakthrough in the middle overs.
As India’s sixth bowling option, Deepak Hooda finished with figures of 4/10 as New Zealand was dismissed for 126 in 18.5 overs. The second T20I saw India’s bowling unit step up and perform, resulting in New Zealand scoring its lowest T20I total ever against India at home.
