Raipur, January 23, 2026 – India continued their dominant run in the T20I series by registering a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second match at Raipur on Friday, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Chasing a challenging target of 209, the Men in Blue delivered a sensational batting performance, led by a breathtaking knock from Ishan Kishan. Despite losing both openers early and slipping to 6/2, India never looked under pressure as Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav stitched together a match-winning partnership.
Kishan smashed a rapid 76 off just 32 balls, bringing up his half-century in only 21 deliveries. Suryakumar initially played the anchor role before shifting gears and finishing unbeaten on 82 off 37 balls. Their 122-run stand completely dismantled New Zealand’s bowling attack, while Shivam Dube added quick runs at the end as India chased down the target with more than four overs to spare — their joint-highest successful chase in T20Is.
Earlier, New Zealand posted a competitive total after being asked to bat first. Rachin Ravindra scored 44 off 26 balls, while skipper Mitchell Santner remained unbeaten on 47 off 27 to give the visitors a strong platform. For India, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy applied the brakes in the middle overs, sharing three wickets, while Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, and Shivam Dube chipped in with one each.
The turning point came in the third over of India’s chase when debutant Zak Foulkes was taken for 24 runs, conceding 67 from his three overs overall. Dropped catches and wet conditions further compounded New Zealand’s troubles.
Speaking after the match, Player of the Match Ishan Kishan highlighted the importance of backing himself and credited domestic cricket for his comeback. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the fearless batting approach and expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall mood and performance.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that totals around 200 are proving insufficient against India’s deep batting lineup and stressed the need for improvement ahead of the third T20I in Guwahati on January 25.