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India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the second T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s unbeaten 69-run seventh-wicket partnership helped India complete a successful chase and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The stand ranks as the joint second-highest seventh-wicket partnership during a successful T20I run chase by a Full Member nation.
Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka also recorded an unbeaten 69-run partnership against Australia in 2022.
Bangladesh’s Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain hold the record with an unbeaten 82-run stand against Zimbabwe in Mirpur in 2019.
After losing the toss, New Zealand posted 180/5 in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips top-scored with 70 runs, while Bevon Jacobs contributed 58.
Arshdeep Singh led India’s bowling attack with two wickets for 33 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav and Nitish Reddy claimed one wicket each.
India struggled during the chase and lost five wickets for 70 runs. Tilak, who remained unbeaten on 51, then combined with Naman Dhir to add 42 runs off 24 balls for the sixth wicket. Dhir scored 31.
After Dhir’s dismissal, Nitish joined Tilak to rebuild the innings. The pair added an unbeaten 69 runs off 30 deliveries, overcoming Mitchell Santner’s impressive figures of 4/21.
India reached the target in 19.5 overs, with Nitish remaining unbeaten on 26.
The remaining T20Is will take place on October 27, October 30 and November 1. India and New Zealand will subsequently contest five One-Day Internationals and two Test matches.
Also Read: Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy Star As India Beat New Zealand In Second T20I
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