India captain Suryakumar Yadav regained form ahead of the team’s title defence at next month’s World Cup as he and Ishan Kishan smashed rapid fifties to secure their seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 International in Raipur on Friday.
Suryakumar hammered an unbeaten 82 after Kishan’s blistering 76 as India chased down a target of 209 with 28 balls to spare for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Put into bat, New Zealand posted a commanding 208-6 with captain Mitchell Santner top-scoring for them with an unbeaten 47.
India rested pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and did not risk spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, who suffered a thumb injury in the first match, ahead of the T20 World Cup.
New Zealand began briskly against India’s depleted attack before openers Devon Conway (19) and Tim Seifert (24) fell in successive overs.
Rachin Ravindra (44) smashed four sixes and two fours in his 26-ball blitz before falling to spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who also got rid of the dangerous Glenn Phillips (19).
Santner and Zak Foulkes, who made 15 not out, took New Zealand past the 200-mark.
India wobbled in their chase losing Sanju Samson in the first over while fellow opener Abhishek Sharma fell for a first-ball duck in the next.
Kishan counter-attacked in a spectacular manner hitting four sixes and 11 fours in his 32-ball knock.
Suryakumar’s first fifty in 24 T20 Internationals was not a chanceless knock, though, and the India captain was dropped three times including once by his New Zealand counterpart Santner.
