NEW DELHI: India captain Hardik Pandya called the pitch prepared for the second T20I a “shocker”. India bowlers Arshdeep Singh (2-7), Yuzvendra Chahal (1-4), Kuldeep Yadav (1-17), Deepak Hooda (1-17), Washington Sundar (1-17) and Hardik Pandya (1-25) produced a sensational performance to restrict New Zealand to 99/8 in 20 overs.
Chasing 100 to win, on a challenging rack, India were reduced to 50/3 in 10.4 overs but
Suryakumar Yadav once again showed his class. Surya played a crucial knock (26 not out off 31), stitched partnerships with Washington Sundar (10) and Hardik Pandya (15 not out) to guide India to a series-levelling win.
“To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket. Both the games we have played on so far. I don’t mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but these two wickets were not made for T20.
1/20
Spin rules as India level T20I series with tense win against New Zealand
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<p>India edged out New Zealand by six wickets in a low-scoring and tense second T20I, to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday. </p>
<p>India restricted New Zealand to 99-8 with Yuzvendra Chahal leading the spin charge on a slow and turning pitch in Lucknow. </p>
<p>India then lost regular wickets as the Kiwi bowlers took it into the final over.</p>
<p>But Suryakumar Yadav, along with Hardik Pandya, anchored the tricky run chase to achieve the target with one ball to spare. </p>
<p>The match witnessed 30 overs of spin without a six being hit in either innings. </p>
<p>Chahal bowled the fourth over of the innings and started with a wicket maiden.</p>
<p>Chahal bowled just two overs for four runs and a wicket but it set the tone for his fellow bowlers, with Arshdeep Singh taking two. </p>
<p>Finn Allen attempted to take on the Indian bowling with two straight boundaries in the third over but was bowled by Chahal as he tried a reverse sweep. </p>
<p>Devon Conway was caught behind off Washington Sundar and then Glenn Phillips bowled by Deepak Hooda. </p>
<p>Daryl Mitchell was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav and New Zealand slipped to 62-5 after a mid-pitch mix-up got Mark Chapman run out for 14. </p>
<p>Wickets kept tumbling and Arshdeep struck twice in one over to get into the New Zealand tail. </p>
<p>Skipper Mitchell Santner made an unbeaten 19 but could not help New Zealand avoid their lowest T20 score against India. </p>
<p>In reply, India lost Shubman Gill (11) after the opener hit two boundaries but fell to Michael Bracewell’s off spin. </p>
<p>Ishan Kishan was run out for 19 and the hosts looked in trouble when leg-spinner Ish Sodhi took down Rahul Tripathi for 13. </p>
<p>Suryakumar stood firm and despite losing Washington Sundar to a run out steered the team home as he put on an unbeaten stand of 31 with Pandya (15*). </p>
<p>”To be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket,” Pandya said after the match. </p>
<p>”I don’t mind difficult wickets. I am all up for that, but somewhere down the line the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches earlier,” Pandya said.</p>
<p>”We bowled 17 overs of spin, definitely something different,” said Santner. “With the bounce out there, it looked challenging.” </p>
<p>The series moves on to the decider in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. </p>
“Somewhere down the line the curators or the grounds that we are going to play in should make sure they prepare the pitches earlier. Other than that, happy. Even 120 would have been a winning total,” said Hardik after the series levelling win over New Zealand.
The series decider will be played in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
“I always believed that we’ll be able to finish the game, but it went quite late. All these games are important with the moments. You don’t need to panic because it was about rotating the strike rather than taking the pressure. That’s exactly what we did. We followed our basics,” he said about the tense finish.
On the bowlers’ impressive performance, he added: “They stuck to their plans and ensured they (New Zealand) did not rotate the strike. We kept rotating the spinners. Dew didn’t play much part in this. They were able to spin the ball more than us. It was carrying through well.”
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