2nd T20I: Tilak powers India to thrilling win over NZ
What's the story
A stunning half-century from Tilak Varma powered India to victory from the jaws of defeat in the second T20I match against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Batting first in the game, New Zealand posted a total of 180/5. The innings was anchored by Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs, who both scored half-centuries. In response, India were reeling at 70/5 before Tilak's brilliance helped them cross the line in the final over. Here are the key stats.
Partnership impact
Crucial partnership powers the hosts
The New Zealand innings got off to a poor start with Arshdeep Singh dismissing Tim Seifert for seven in the second over.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar then removed Daryl Mitchell for six, leaving the hosts struggling at 18/2.
Finn Allen tried to counterattack but was dismissed by Prince Yadav for 16 off 14 balls.
While the Kiwis looked in all sorts of trouble at 41/3, Phillips and Jacobs steadied the innings with a vital fourth-wicket partnership of 116 runs off just 76 balls.
Player performances
Fine fifties for the Kiwi duo
Phillips, who scored an unbeaten 82 in the first T20I, continued his good form with a mix of controlled aggression and calculated strokeplay.
He reached his half-century off just 33 balls and hit four boundaries and as many sixes in his 43-ball 70.
Jacobs supported him well, initially rotating the strike before upping the ante.
He made 58 off 46 balls, a knock laced with five fours and a six.
Bowling highlights
How did the Indian bowlers fare?
Arshdeep was India's top wicket-taker, returning figures of 2/33 in his four overs.
Prince Yadav justified his selection with a brilliant spell of 1/30 in four overs, while Axar Patel was the most economical among India's specialist bowlers, giving away 28 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket.
Bhuvneshwar continued to struggle with his economy rate, giving away 50 runs in four overs, while Nitish conceded 31 runs in three overs and picked up one wicket.
Match dynamics
Santner runs through the Indian line-up
Though a 40-run opening stand between Sanju Samson (14) and Abhishek Sharma (27) handed India a fine start, they failed to capitalize on the same.
They were reeling at 70/5 before Varma and Naman Dhir put up a fight.
The latter scored a quick-fire 17-ball 31 in the 42-run partnership before going down as Mitchell Santner's fourth victim.
The Kiwi skipper's brilliance left India struggling at 112/6 in the 15th over, with 68 runs needed off the last five overs.
Chase
India recover from poor start
With India in dire need of a hero, Varma stepped up to the plate.
He played a brilliant knock of 51 off just 26 balls.
Nitish Kumar Reddy also played an unbeaten cameo of 26 runs off 13 balls.
Together, they guided India home at 181/6 in 19.5 overs, sealing a thrilling four-wicket win to put India 2-0 up in the five-match affair.
Jacobs
Jacobs's second T20I fifty
Jacobs scored his second T20I fifty, as his maiden one was a 62* against Bangladesh earlier this year.
As per Cricinfo, the 24-year-old has now raced to 272 runs from 13 games at 30.22 (SR: 143.15).
Having scored his ninth T20 fifty, the batter now has 1,248 runs at 33-plus. His strike rate is over 145.
Phillips
Phillips accomplishes 400 T20 sixes
Phillips, who scored his second successive fifty, completed 400 T20 maximums with his fourth and final six.
With this knock, Phillips has completed 7,663 runs at an average of around 31. This was his 49th T20 half-century, including five tons.
The Kiwi all-rounder now has 2,438 runs from 99 T20Is at an average of 33.39 (100s: 2, 50s: 14).
Across 19 T20Is against India, Phillips has reached four half-centuries.
Feat
Jacobs, Phillips become fourth NZ pair with this feat
As per Cricbuzz, Jacobs and Phillips marked the fourth instance of two Kiwi batters scoring fifties in a T20I while batting at four or lower.
The other pairs with this feat are:
Colin de Grandhomme (59), Tom Bruce (53) vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele, 2019.
Daryl Mitchell (72*), Glenn Phillips (70*) vs Pakistan in Christchurch, 2024.
Daryl Mitchell (62), Michael Bracewell (59) vs Sri Lanka in Mount Maunganui, 2024.
Arshdeep
Arshdeep Singh shatters this T20I record of Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Arshdeep became the highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is in a calendar year.
The record was previously held by Bhuvneshwar, who had taken 37 wickets in 2022.
Arshdeep has now raced to 38 wickets across 29 T20Is for India this year, with his average being 24.78.
With this spell, Arshdeep has overall completed 148 wickets from 101 T20Is at an incredible average of 20.41.
Tilak
Varma sets new world record in T20Is
Varma took two catches in the game, dismissing Tim Seifert and Daryl Mitchell within the first three overs of New Zealand's innings.
With this, Varma has now taken 26 catches across 32 T20 games in 2026 - the most for a fielder within a calendar year.
With 20 catches last year, Bangladesh's Tanzid Hasan trails Varma among Full Member team players.
Varma
A stunning hand from Varma
Tilak was truly sensational on the day, scoring 51* off 26 balls. He smoked six fours and a six.
The left-handed batter has now raced to 1,898 runs across 72 T20Is at a strike rate of 147.47, as per Cricinfo.
Tilak's average is also an impressive 44.13. Tilak's tally now includes 13 scores of 50 or more (2 tons).
The southpaw scored his maiden fifty against the Kiwis.
Santner
Four-fer for Santner
Santner, who finished with 4/21 across four overs, became the first bowler to claim multiple four-wicket haul versus India in T20Is (2).
The left-arm spinner had previously claimed 4/11 in the 2016 Nagpur affair.
With this, Santner has raced to 29 wickets across as many games against India at 27.34.
Only his teammate, Ish Sodhi, owns more wickets against the Men in Blue (30).
Career
150 wickets loading for Santner
New Zealand's highest wicket-taker in T20Is, Santner, now boasts 148 scalps from 140 matches at a fine economy rate of 7.18.
The tally now includes four four-wicket hauls.
Overall in T20 cricket, Santner has claimed 293 wickets across 294 games at a fine economy of around 7.2.
Each of his four T20 four-fers have come in NZ colors.