New Zealand vs India 2022, 2nd T20I: Supreme Suryakumar Yadav gives India 1-0 lead
Suryakumar Yadav displayed his unmatched superiority in the shortest format with a breathtaking hundred as India outplayed New Zealand by 65 runs in the second T20 in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
FollowIn the second T20 in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, Suryakumar Yadav outperformed New Zealand by 65 runs, demonstrating his unrivalled mastery of the shortest format. India reached 191 for six after Surya's spectacular 111 not out off 51 balls, his second T20 century.
After New Zealand ordered the visitors to bat, the 32-year-old, who had been moved up to number three, toyed with the bowlers to lead India to a challenging score. His last 64 runs came off just 18 balls as he hammered boundaries and sixes at will. His entertaining innings included 11 fours and seven sixes and his astounding 217.64 strike rate.
The New Zealand bowlers seemed oblivious as Surya continued to string together some incredible hits. The home team kept losing wickets while trying to score runs and never really tried.
New Zealand was eventually dismissed for 126 runs in 18.5 overs. India now leads the three-match series 1-0 after the first game was rained out. The decisive game will be played on Tuesday.
When the dangerous Finn Allen attempted an expansive drive off an outswinger from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he was trapped at third man, which delivered New Zealand a setback.
Despite putting together a 56-run stand with captain Kane Williamson (61 off 52) and opener Devon Conway (25 off 22), they could not get the big shots necessary to keep up with the demand. Conway attempted to sweep Washington Sundar but was stopped at a deep backward square leg.
The powerful Glenn Phillips had to take exceptional action to reintroduce New Zealand into the contest. With a clean slog sweep from Yuzvendra Chahal that went all the way, he made his intentions known. However, two balls later, the identical stroke proved his undoing.
The game was practically lost when New Zealand struggled to 89 for five in the fourteenth over. Yuzvendra Chahal (2/26), who surprisingly did not receive a single game in the most recent World Cup, had a successful comeback game.
Deepak Hooda, a part-time off-spinner, claimed three wickets in the 19th over and finished with a four-wicket haul. Hardik Pandya, the captain, did not bowl.
Rishabh Pant's experiment to open for India earlier failed when he fell after a sluggish six off 13 balls. Ishan Kishan, who batted first (36 off 31), and Shreyas Iyer, who batted number four, both showed promise but were unable to advance. Surya was once again in a league of his own (13 of 9).
Before the game, India's powerplay strategy was under scrutiny, but little was accomplished in that regard; the team reached 42 for one in six overs. Although it didn't appear simple to the untrained eye, Surya maintained it "simple" and executed his incredible variety of strokes in accordance with the field placements.
He was content to play the inside-out shot over cover if the spinners pitched it full on off-stump, and he assisted the ball's passage through fine leg for several sixes when the faster bowlers attacked his stumps on a decent length.
Surya collected a total of seven sixes and 11 fours. He needed 49 balls to reach his second T20 century, which he did with an overhead drive that missed the sweeper cover.
In the last over, which Lockie Ferguson bowled, Surya went off the rails, smashing four boundaries and an incredible six over deep point. With Surya on a song, the fast bowler had run out of options.
The last five overs yielded 72 runs. Tim Southee bowled a brilliant 20th over and stemmed the free flow of runs by taking a hat-trick. He dismissed Washington Sundar, Deepak Hooda and Hardik Pandya on the trot. Umran Malik, Sanju Samson and Shubman Gill did not get a game on Sunday.
(With inputs from PTI)
