India edge out New Zealand in low-scoring thriller in Lucknow

India kept the series alive with a nervy six-wicket victory over New Zealand in a low-scoring thriller at Lucknow in the second T20I. It was an extraordinary contest between bat and ball, with no sixes hit and as many as 30 overs of spin bowled due to the extreme conditions in Lucknow. The hosts restricted New Zealand to just 99 runs in the first innings on a spin-friendly pitch at the Ekana Stadium before taking 19.5 overs themselves to chase down the target and draw the series at 1-1.

Hardik Pandya introduced Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal within the powerplay after Mitchell Santner opted to bat, and the leg-spinner struck in the first over. Chahal began his spell with a wonderful wicket maiden, castling Finn Allen while he was attempting a reverse sweep.

Devon Conway also departed after miscuing the same shot in the next over, gloving one into the hands of the keeper as New Zealand finished the powerplay on 33 for two. Spin dominated the middle overs as well, with Deepak Hooda and Kuldeep Yadav bowling in tandem.

The off-spinner cleaned up Glenn Phillips in his first over, while Kuldeep produced some big turn to beat the defences of Daryl Mitchell, leaving the Kiwis reeling at 48 for four at the halfway mark. Mark Chapman ran himself out for 14 to add to New Zealand’s woes and the Kiwi innings failed to pick up any momentum in the back half of the innings on the challenging surface.

Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh continued the excellent work done by the spinners at the death as New Zealand hobbled to a total of 99 for eight in 20 overs.

After a solitary opening over from Jacob Duffy, New Zealand sent down a barrage of spin in the run chase. India’s top order fared poorly against the turning ball again, with only 29 runs coming in the powerplay and Shubman Gill top-edging a pull to deep square leg for 11. Rahul Tripathi also holed out in the deep against Ish Sodhi in the 11th over, while Ishan Kishan and Washington Sundar were both run out in the search for quick singles through the middle.

Boundaries were hard to come by for the hosts in the short run chase, and the Men in Blue found themselves needing 13 off the last two overs. However, Santner was forced to turn to the pacers for the final 12 deliveries, and Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav fashioned a pair of boundaries to take India home in the nick of time.