New Zealand’s batsmen turned Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium into a run-fest on January 23, amassing 208 for 6 in the second T20I against India. Rachin Ravindra’s explosive 44 and captain Mitchell Santner’s late surge handed India a towering 209 to chase in this pivotal series clash.
Suryakumar Yadav called correctly at the toss and inserted the visitors, but the decision invited a barrage. Openers Conway and Seifert plundered 43 in 3.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh bled 18 in his first over and repeated the feat in his third, as Conway (19 off 9) and Seifert (24 off 13) set an ominous tone.
Post-powerplay at 43/2, Ravindra and Phillips accelerated with 55 off 27 for the third wicket. Ravindra’s 26-ball 44, laced with four maximums, shifted gears. Santner then arrived, crafting vital stands: 32 with Chapman and a match-defining 47* off 19 balls alongside Foulkes (15*).
India’s attack faltered on a batsman-friendly surface. Kuldeep Yadav emerged with 2 wickets, supported by single strikes from Pandya, Rana, Chakaravarthy, and Dube. Arshdeep’s 53 without reward underscored bowling woes.
Coming off a convincing 48-run triumph in the opener, India seeks to dominate the five-match T20 series 2-0 after a mixed ODI campaign. The chase looms large – will India’s top order rise to the occasion against a confident Kiwi unit?