Christchurch – Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy guided India to a four-wicket victory over New Zealand on Saturday at Hagley Oval, securing a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
Chasing a target of 181, India faltered against New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, slipping to 112 for 6 in the 15th over. With 69 runs required from the final 31 deliveries, Varma and Reddy mounted an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership to rescue the innings.
Varma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, reaching his half-century with a boundary in the final over. Reddy contributed an aggressive 26 not out off 13 balls, sealing the win by scrambling two runs off the fifth ball of the final over bowled by Jacob Duffy, leaving one ball to spare. Santner finished the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with figures of 4 for 21.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 180 for 5 in their 20 overs. Glenn Phillips led the hosts with a 43-ball 70, while Bevon Jacobs added 58 runs from 46 deliveries. Arshdeep Singh claimed two wickets to lead the Indian bowling attack.
