Raipur erupted in cheers as India clinched a commanding seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second T20I of the series. Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 82 off 37 balls, laced with nine fours and four sixes, steered the chase with effortless grace. But behind the scenes, a moment of frustration surfaced during the powerplay.
Suryakumar revealed his initial irritation when Ishan Kishan repeatedly denied him the strike early on. ‘I was a bit annoyed in the powerplay because Ishan wasn’t giving me the strike,’ he admitted post-match. ‘But I quickly understood the situation and adapted.’
Ishan Kishan’s explosive start set the tone, propelling India to around 60 runs by the end of the powerplay after just six runs for two wickets at one stage. ‘I don’t know what Ishan ate for lunch, but I’ve never seen anyone go from 6/2 to nearly 60 in the powerplay like that,’ Suryakumar quipped, praising his opener’s fearless approach.
The captain formed a match-winning 122-run partnership with Ishan, followed by an unbroken 81-run stand with Shivam Dube. Reflecting on his form, Suryakumar credited solid nets sessions and a good break. ‘The bowling was outstanding too. When New Zealand reached 110/2, I thought they’d push to 230, but our bowlers stepped up.’
On the other side, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, trailing 0-2 in the five-match series, lamented the pressure exerted by India’s deep batting lineup. ‘Against a team like India, maybe 300 isn’t enough,’ he said. Santner himself scored an unbeaten 47 off 27 balls but couldn’t turn the tide. As dew factored in, he struggled with his spin bowling, conceding 27 runs in two overs without a wicket.
