India vs New Zealand 2nd T20 Highlights: An exciting cricket contest took put at Hagley Oval Christchurch on 24 October 2026, India chased down the target of 181 runs with a ball to save to win the moment T20 International by four wickets against New Zealand. With this win, India took a 2-0 lead within the 5-match T20I arrangement.
New Zealand posted 180/5 in 20 overs after a solid fightback from Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs. India confronted a intense chase in answer with Unused Zealand captain Mitchell Santner sacking four wickets. But a superb late stand between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy driven India to triumph.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 and Nitish Kumar Reddy made 26. The twosome turned the diversion around and made it a paramount win for India.
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20 Match Details
Here are the highlights from the second T20I between India and New Zealand.
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Play | India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I |
| Series | India tour of New Zealand 2026 Series |
| Date | October 24, 2026 |
| Venue | Christchurch Hagley Oval |
| Score New Zealand | 20 overs 180/5 ( |
| India Score | 181/6 in 19.5 overs |
| Result of Match | India won by 4wickets |
| Match Winner | Tilak Varma |
| Series point | India lead 2–0 |
| Target | 181 runs |
India’s win was particularly impressive as the team lost a few wickets in the middle overs. When the game was on the line the lower order showed poise and intent to attack.
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20 Highlights: Phillips, Jacobs Shine
New Zealand won the toss fair and square and had to build an innings against an Indian attack which started well.
During the Powerplay, the home side were in trouble as they lost three crucial wickets. Indian bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Prince Yadav applied early pressure and did not allow New Zealand openers to build any big partnership.
Tim Seifert was dismissed for seven runs by Arshdeep Singh. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then got Daryl Mitchell for six and Prince Yadav got Finn Allen for 16.
New Zealand were 41 for three and required a big stand.
New Zealand’s half-century by Glenn Phillips
Glenn Phillips once more proved his value in the New Zealand batting line-up. He followed up an unbeaten 82 in the first T20I with another good innings in the second match.
Phillips scored 70 off 43 balls, hitting four boundaries and four sixes. He mixed controlled batting with aggressive strokeplay to put the pressure back on the Indian bowlers.
He was responsible for New Zealand recovering from a tough position to post a competitive total.
Bevon Jacobs Provides Great Support
Bevon Jacobs was a key contributor with Phillips scoring 58 off 46 deliveries. He made five fours and a six in his innings.
The duo added 116 runs for the 4th wicket to get New Zealand’s innings back on track after the early hiccups.
Their partnership was the turning point of the first innings as it took the hosts from 41/3 to a position where they could take on India.
Phillips eventually went for 70 and Jacobs followed on after reaching his fifty.
New Zealand finished at 180/5 in 20 overs, with Michael Bracewell scoring a quick 10 runs off just two deliveries.
Best Bowling Performances in India
India’s bowlers made a fine start but New Zealand’s middle order recovered well.
Arshdeep Singh was among the top performers with figures of 2 for 33. Prince Yadav scalped one giving away just 30 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the better of Daryl Mitchell.
Nitish Kumar Reddy also had an impact with the ball, getting the wicket of Bevon Jacobs.
However, India’s bowlers were unable to restrict New Zealand to less than 180, despite early wickets.
India Chase Highlights: Difficult Start
India required 181 runs to win the second T20I and take a commanding lead in the series.
However, the chase did not start as smoothly as India would have hoped.
Sanju Samson made 14 runs off 17 balls before being sent back by Jacob Duffy. Abhishek Sharma scored 27 runs from 21 balls but Mitchell Santner finished off his innings.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came in after Ishan Kishan was ruled out due to injury and scored four runs.
India captain Shreyas Iyer also found it difficult to get going and was dismissed for seven runs by Santner.
The New Zealand skipper’s brilliant bowling accounted for Axar Patel.
Mitchell Santner Puts India On Backfoot
New Zealand’s best bowler in the chase was Mitchell Santner.
He ended up with figures of 4 for 21 in four overs and claimed the wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Naman Dhir.
His spell turned the match on its head and left India tottering at 112 for six in the 15th over.
India needed 69 runs off the last 30 balls with Naman Dhir departing after scoring 31 runs off 17 balls.
At that stage New Zealand looked well placed to defend their total.
But Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy had something else in mind.
Match Winning Fifty by Tilak Varma
India needed a fighting response and Tilak Varma played one of the best innings of the match.
Tilak came in at a difficult time and he showed a lot of patience before upping his scoring rate. He picked on the bowlers when he got the chance and kept India within touching distance of the target.
Tilak remained not out on 51 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and a six.
It was a blend of solid batting and tremendous crashing from him. Rather than taking needless chances early on in his innings, he built up a head of steam and applied pressure on the New Zealand bowlers.
Tilak was named the Player of the Match for his performance.
His fifty was the foundation for India’s successful chase and showcased his ability to deliver under pressure in international cricket.
Nitish Kumar Reddy backs Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma held the innings together while Nitish Kumar Reddy was the attacking support that India needed.
Reddy scored’s 26 runs in just 13 balls with one four’s and one six.
His aggressive styles ensured India scoreds at the required rate in the death overs.
The pair then added 69 runs off 30 balls for the seventh wicket, unbeaten. This partnership was the turning point of the match.
Their stand broke the previous Indian record for seventh-wicket partnership in men’s T20 Internationals of 63 runs.
India needed a cool finish with 11 runs to get in the last over. Tilak and Reddy did well under pressure as they took India to 181 for 6 in 19.5 overs.
India won the matches by four wickets with a ball to spare.
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20 Match Scorecard’s
New Zealand Innings 180 for 5 (20 Overs)
| Mixture | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Seifert | 7 | 6 |
| Finn Allen | 16 | 14 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 6 | 5 |
| Glenn Phillips | 70 | 43 |
| Bevon Jacobs | 58 | 46 |
| Mitchell Santner | 4* | 5 |
| Michael Bracewell | 10* | 2 |
Total 180/5 in 20 overs
Best bowlers for India: Arshdeep Singh 2-33, Prince Yadav 1-30.
India Innings 181/6 (19.5)
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | 14 | 17 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 27 | 21 |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 4 | 8 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 7 | 11 |
| Axar Patel | 11 | 9 |
| Tilak Varma | 51* | 26 |
| Naman Dhir | 31 | 17 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 26* | 13 |
Total: 181/6 in 19.5 overs
Best bowler New Zealand: Mitchell Santner 4-21.
Why India won the 2nd T20I
There were three big reasons why India won the game.
1. Good start for India with the ball: The bowling attack picked up three wickets early on and prevented New Zealand from building any sort of opening stand.
2. Tilak Varma’s brilliant knock: When the wickets were falling, Tilak kept his cool and played a match-winning fifty.
3. The seventh-wicket stand Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy added 69 runs for the seventh wicket to take India from a tough situation to victory.
New Zealand’s bowling was good for much of the chase with Santner’s four-wicket haul the highlight. But the team could not stop India’s late counter attack.
India vs New Zealand T20I Series: What Next?
India won’s by four wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20Is series.
India, who won the first match by four wickets, repeated the performance in Christchurch, showing they can handle the pressure.
The third T20I will be played on October 27, 2026 in Wellington. If New Zealand are to come back into the series they will need to improve their performance in the crucial final overs.
Meanwhile, India will look to maintain the winning momentum and cement its position ahead of the remaining matches.
Conclusion
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20 Highlights: Another cracker of a contest between two competitive international sides.
New Zealand recovered from a disastrous start to reach 180/5 with Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs both hitting impressive half-centuries. Mitchell Santner took four wickets to put India under serious pressure.
But then the game turned with Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 51 and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s brisk 26. Their 69-run partnership helped India chase down 181 runs in 19.5 overs to win by four wickets.
India now led the series 2-0. The second T20I was a memorable contest for cricket fans as India managed to recover remarkably and the match-winning performance of Tilak Varma made it a memorable contest.
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