Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav power India to 2-0 lead against New Zealand, beat Kiwis by 7 wickets in Raipur
Captain Suryakumar Yadav and star batter Ishan Kishan returned to their best form as India dominated New Zealand. The pair’s performance helped India win the second T20 International by seven wickets on Friday. With this victory, the home team now leads the five-match series 2-0.
How is India looking ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026?
With the T20 World Cup approaching, India looks strong. Suryakumar Yadav ended his long struggle by scoring an unbeaten 82, while Ishan Kishan proved he is a dangerous opening batter. Although India had to chase 209 on a high-scoring pitch, they did so much faster than expected, even after losing two early wickets.
How was the finish by India?
Suryakumar and Shivam Dube (36 not out) finished the match easily in the 16th over. Kishan, playing his first game in over two years, was aggressive from the start, hitting 11 fours and four sixes. This great performance puts pressure on Sanju Samson, who has struggled lately. Since Tilak Varma usually bats at number three when healthy, Kishan’s success might mean Samson loses his spot in the lineup.
What shots include Ishan Kishan’s innings?
Ishan Kishan’s innings featured impressive pulls, scoops and reverse hits. He played so well that his captain hugged him even after he got out. Once Kishan left, Suryakumar kept the energy high with Dube, who also hit several sixes.
What happened to Team India’s start with the bat?
Earlier, India’s chase started poorly. Samson was dropped on the second ball but failed to take advantage. When Abhishek Sharma also got out cheaply, India was in trouble. However, Kishan’s aggressive response shifted the momentum back. New Zealand’s captain, Mitchell Santner, made a mistake by letting Zak Foulkes bowl again after the other bowlers had kept things tight.
How was Team India’s bowling?
In the first half of the match, Kuldeep Yadav took two important wickets to keep New Zealand to 208. Rachin Ravindra and Santner both scored quickly to help their team cross 200. India chose to bowl first because they expected the grass to get wet from dew. They played Harshit Rana and Kuldeep instead of the injured Axar Patel and the rested Jasprit Bumrah.
How did New Zealand bat?
New Zealand’s openers, Devon Conway and Tim Seifert, started very fast against Arshdeep Singh. However, Harshit Rana soon dismissed Conway, continuing his success against the left-hander. Ravindra played some great shots before Kuldeep got him out. Kuldeep also dismissed Glenn Phillips with a deceptive delivery. While New Zealand was scoring fast at the halfway mark, India slowed them down. Shivam Dube took the wicket of Daryl Mitchell, though Santner still managed to score 57 runs for his team in the final five overs.