2nd T20I: Kishan-minus India eye series lead against New Zealand
What's the story
India will look to extend their lead in the five-match T20I series when they take on New Zealand in the second match at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. The visitors won the series opener by four wickets after chasing down a formidable target of 226. New Zealand posted an impressive 225/4 in their allotted overs, but India responded with a stellar performance. Here is the preview of the second match.
Pitch report
Key details about Hagley Oval pitch
The Hagley Oval surface proved to be a batting paradise in the first T20I.
Batters who settle in early can make a huge impact, as evidenced by India's successful chase of New Zealand's 225/4.
The venue also showed that big totals aren't always defendable, so bowlers will have to mix their pace and execute plans well at the death to avoid giving away too many runs.
While Sony Sports Network will broadcast the match, live-streaming will be available on the SonyLIV app and website (12:00pm IST).
Match highlights
Kishan out; Sooryavanshi set to feature
The first T20I showcased India's batting depth and their ability to handle pressure in high-scoring encounters.
Sanju Samson was the star of the match, scoring a blistering 67 off just 33 balls.
However, Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I due to a groin strain.
This paves the way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's inclusion.
If Sooryavanshi replaces Kishan as expected, he will probably open with Abhishek Sharma while Samson moves down to No. 3.
Bowling performance
New Zealand need to regroup
New Zealand will be hoping for a better bowling performance in the second T20I after their defeat in the first match.
Despite posting a strong total, they couldn't defend it against India's aggressive batting.
Captain Mitchell Santner was among the few bright spots for New Zealand with his two wickets at an economy of 9.75 in four overs.
However, other bowlers struggled to contain India's scoring rate throughout the innings.
H2H
Overall head-to-head record
Coming to the head-to-head record, India and New Zealand have clashed in 32 completed T20Is, with India winning 20.
As per Cricinfo, NZ have prevailed in 11 encounters (1 tied).
India have played four T20I series in New Zealand, winning two and losing the other two.
Earlier this year, India beat the Kiwis in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup final.
XIs
Here are the probable XIs
India probable XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav.
New Zealand probable XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson.
Performers
Here are the key performers
Samson has smashed 770 T20I runs at an average of 30.80 in 2026.
Tilak Varma is the only batter to average over 40 and strike at 140-plus in the T20 format (minimum 5,000 runs).
Abhishek's strike rate of 194.62 is the best among batters with at least 500 runs in this format.
Phillips smashed a scintillating 82* (40) in the opener.
Spinners Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner claimed two wickets each in that high-scoring match.
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