KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 57 as India defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the second T20I in Auckland on Sunday to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 133 for the win, India lost Rohit Sharma in the first over as Tim Southee removed the Indian opener. KL Rahul then steadied the innings with captain Virat Kohli but Tim Southee struck again to send back Kohli in the sixth over. Shreyas Iyer then joined KL Rahul in the middle and the duo put on 86 runs for the third wicket. Iyer perished while trying to clear the boundary with India needing eight for the win. Shivam Dube, who walked out to bat at number five, finished the game with a six. Earlier, Indian bowlers led by Ravindra Jadeja managed to restrict New Zealand to a below-par total of 132 for five.
Highlights Between New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I, straight from Eden Park, Auckland
- 15:40 (IST)That's it from us!Thank you for tuning in to our live coverage of the second T20I between New Zealand and India. The visitors proved to be too good for New Zealand on a slow and sluggish track. Shreyas Iyer once again impressed at number with his knock of 44 while KL Rahul continued his good form with the bat to steer India home with an unbeaten knock of 57. India lead the five-match series 2-0 and the third T20I will be played in Hamilton on Wednesday.
- 15:32 (IST)India win by seven wickets!India chased down the 133-run target with seven wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare to take 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
- 15:26 (IST)WICKET!Ish Sodhi gets a wicket as Shreyas Iyer in a bid to clear the ropes again perishes. Tim Southee takes a good catch in the deep.
- 15:24 (IST)SIX!Shreyas Iyer is looking to finish the game in a hurry as he smashes Ish Sodhi over long-on for a huge maximum.
- 15:21 (IST)Four!Shreyas Iyer now plays the upper cut for a boundary to take India closer to the target.
- 15:20 (IST)Shreyas Iyer smashes Tickner for a six!Shreyas Iyer cleared the ropes with ease as he lofts Blair Tickner straight over his head for a six.
- 15:18 (IST)KL Rahul survives again!A huge mix-up in the middle between KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer but New Zealand once again fail to capitalise as they miss another chance to send back KL Rahul to the pavilion.
- 15:16 (IST)Five Wides!Hamish Bennett bowls a short one but the ball went over the wicketkeeper's head for a four and India get five bonus runs.
- 15:15 (IST)KL Rahul brings up his 11th T20I fifty!KL Rahul lofts this over covers to bring up his 11th 50-plus score in T20Is.
- 15:14 (IST)SIX!KL Rahul gets a top edge but the pace and bounce from Hamish Bennett takes the ball over the ropes for a maximum.
- 15:11 (IST)KL Rahul escapes a narrow call!Blair Tickner had a chance to hit the stumps and end KL Rahul's stay at the crease but he missed the target as Rahul survives.
- 15:03 (IST)Expensive over from Sodhi!Ish Sodhi went for 13 runs in his third over as Shreyas Iyer got the big shot India were looking for.
- 15:01 (IST)SIX!Shreyas Iyer gets a length ball from Ish Sodhi and he sends it way back into the crowd for a maximum.
- 15:00 (IST)Tickner saves a couple!Blair Tickner makes an outstanding effort in the deep to save two runs for his side. Shreyas Iyer has hit that ball towards the fine-leg fence but Tickner's good work kept it down to just two.
- 14:57 (IST)Another tidy over for New Zealand!Mitchell Santner keeps up the good work done by Ish Sodhi in the previous over as he concedes just three runs off the 11th over.
- 14:54 (IST)Three runs off Ish Sodhi's over!India need 73 runs in the last 10 overs as Ish Sodhi completes a tidy over giving away just three runs.
- 14:50 (IST)Four!KL Rahul plays a late cut as he guided that delivery from Mitchell Santner towards the third-man boundary for a four.
- 14:49 (IST)India are happy to take singles at this stage!Indian batsmen are happy to pick up singles and doubles at this stage as they require 80 off 68 deliveries.
- 14:46 (IST)KL Rahul cuts that one for a couple!Ish Sodhi bowls that one short and KL Rahul cuts it towards the point region to collect a couple of runs.
- 14:44 (IST)Ish Sodhi is in the attack!Ish Sodhi replaces Tim Southee in the attack.
- 14:43 (IST)Santner starts well!Mitchell Santner starts off with a good over, conceding just two runs.
- 14:39 (IST)Successful over for Tim Southee!Southee gave away just one run in that over and managed to pick up the big wicket of Virat Kohli.
- 14:36 (IST)Southee gets Kohli!Tim Seifert dived to his left to take a stunning catch to send back Virat Kohli as Tim Southee gets him nicking one down the leg-side.
- 14:33 (IST)SIX!KL Rahul upper cuts that short one from Blair Tickner over Ish Sodhi's head for a six over third-man.
- 14:31 (IST)Kohli lofts Tickner over his head for a four!Virat Kohli picks up his first boundary as he lofts Blair Tickner straight over his head for a one-bounce four.
- 14:26 (IST)Four!KL Rahul swiveled across on that one and guided the ball towards the fine-leg region for a boundary.
- 14:16 (IST)Bennett starts with a snorter!Hamish Bennett starts with an accurate boundary that had KL Rahul in trouble.
- 14:14 (IST)Big Breakthrough For New Zealand!Rohit Sharma edges another one but this time, the ball goes straight into the hands of Ross Taylor at first slip as India lose their first wicket for eight.
- 14:13 (IST)Four!Lucky boundary for Rohit Sharma. Tim Southee had Rohit in trouble with late out swing but the ball went into the gap and away towards the vacant third-man region for a four.
- 14:11 (IST)Four!Rohit Sharma gets off the mark with a square drive that raced towards the cover boundary.
- 14:10 (IST)Indian openers walk out!Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are out in the middle and Tim Southee starts the proceedings with the ball for New Zealand.
- 14:01 (IST)New Zealand finish at 132/5!India bowled well to restrict New Zealand to a below-par total of 132 for five from their allotted 20 overs. The visitors need 133 runs from 120 deliveries to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
- 13:59 (IST)SIX!Tim Seifert gets one out of the middle of his bat as he lofts Jasprit Bumrah over covers for a maximum.
- 13:58 (IST)OUT!Ross Taylor's resistance at the crease comes to an end as he departs for 18 off 24 deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah picks his first wicket as Rohit Sharma completes a simple catch in the deep.
- 13:57 (IST)Bumrah beats Seifert with a slower one!Tim Seifert did not pick that slower one at all as he swings his bat without making contact with the ball.
- 13:55 (IST)Five runs of the penultimate over!New Zealand just could not get going today. Mohammed Shami finishes the 19th over, conceding just five runs. Jasprit Bumrah will bowl the last over and New Zealand are 123 for four.
- 13:52 (IST)Shreyas Iyer is out of the field!Shreyas Iyer has hurt his knee while he was trying to save a boundary. Sanju Samson is on the field as a substitute fielder for Iyer.
- 13:49 (IST)3 runs off the 18th over!Jasprit Bumrah, who could've had a wicket to his name, conceded just three runs in the 18th over.
- 13:47 (IST)Kohli drops a sitter!Virat Kohli drops a sitter. Jasprit Bumrah had deceived Ross Taylor with a slower one but Virat Kohli, at long-on, dropped the chance.
- 13:43 (IST)Outstanding spell from Jadeja!Ravindra Jadeja, who did not bowl his four overs in the first game, finishes his spell of four overs with figures of two for 18.