Kishan and Suryakumar Shine in India’s Dominant Chase of 209 Against New Zealand in 2nd T20I

Ishan Kishan has a reputation for his aggressive style of play, and he didn’t disappoint during the series against New Zealand after returning to the national team. Despite the early loss of India’s openers, Kishan maintained his attacking approach, smashing a quick 76 off just 32 balls (11 fours, 4 sixes). This explosive performance played a key role in India’s emphatic seven-wicket victory in the second T20I at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday.

Following Kishan’s fireworks, captain Suryakumar Yadav took charge with an unbeaten 82 off 37 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes), showcasing a range of impressive shots. He guided India to victory with 28 balls to spare, alongside Shivam Dube, who contributed 36 not out from 18 balls (1 four, 3 sixes).

Entering the game at No.3 after Abhishek Sharma was dismissed without scoring, Kishan didn’t hold back, attacking the New Zealand bowlers from the outset. His electric 122-run partnership for the third wicket with Suryakumar in just 49 balls made the chase of 209 runs seem like a straightforward task for the Indian team.

It was a challenging evening for Mitchell Santner’s bowling unit, as Kishan and Suryakumar excelled with their shot selection, frequently hitting boundaries. Pacer Zak Foulkes suffered the most, conceding 49 runs in his two overs as the Indian batsmen mercilessly attacked his bowling.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner scored a quick 47 off 27 balls (6 fours, 1 six) to help his team post a total of 208/6 in 20 overs. Despite getting a good start from Devon Conway (19 off 9 balls) and Tim Seifert (24 off 13 balls), the Kiwis couldn’t capitalize fully, with only Rachin Ravindra (44) and Santner accelerating the scoring.

Facing an Indian attack missing key players like Jasprit Bumrah (rested) and Axar Patel (injured), Conway opened aggressively by hitting 18 runs in the first over bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Tim Seifert continued the assault with four successive boundaries off Arshdeep’s third over. However, spinner Kuldeep Yadav found his form again, taking two crucial wickets, while the rest of the bowlers ensured that the New Zealand innings didn’t run away beyond control.

The match was published on January 23, 2026.