Suryakumar, Hooda power India to commanding 65-run victory over New Zealand in 2nd T20I

[Photo: IANS]


Suryakumar Yadav’s batting masterclass of unbeaten 111 and Deepak Hooda’s four-wicket haul helped India bundle out New Zealand for 126 runs to clinch the second match by 65 runs in the three-match T20I series here at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Suryakumar was the top-scorer for India as he slammed 111 runs in just 51 balls while Ishan Kishan scored 36 off 31. Hooda delivered a stunning spell conceding just 10 runs in his four overs while bagging four wickets haul, dismissing Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, and Tim Southee. Defending a competitive target of 192, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck on the second ball of the chase as he dismissed Finn Allen for two balls duck. The right-handed batter and captain Kane Williamson then came out to bat and the batter kept piling runs along with the opener Devon Conway.

In the 7th over of the innings, Williamson hammered Washington Sundar for 17 runs while slamming back-to-back one four and a six. However, Sundar made a stunning comeback as he bagged the wicket of well-set batter Devon Conway 25 off 21.

Glenn Phillips then came out to bat and the batter slammed a four on the very first ball he faced but his stint at the crease did not last long as he was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal for 12 off 6. At that point, New Zealand were tottering at 70/3. The right-handed batter Daryl Mitchell then came out to bat.

New Zealand batters looked helpless in front of great spells of Indian bowlers as they binded Kiwis from scoring runs. Deepak Hooda then gave New Zealand another blow as he sent Mitchell packing for 10 off 11 in the 13th over of the game.

James Neesham then came out to bat but could not do much as he fell to a three-ball duck. Williamson then tried to handle struggling New Zealand as he pulled some boundaries to ease the pressure. Even in the pressure situation New Zealand skipper Williamson stand strong in front of the Indian bowling attack he slammed a much-needed fifty in 48 balls.

In the 18th over of the innings, Williamson slammed one six and four but his stint at the crease was cut short as he was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammed Siraj after playing a stunning knock of 61 off 52. In the 19th over of the game, Hooda struck thrice as he dismissed Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, and Adam Milne. India folded New Zealand for 126 in 18.5 overs to win the match by 65 runs.

Earlier, Suryakumar’s batting masterclass of unbeaten 111 guided India to a competitive total of 191/6 against New Zealand in the second game of the three-match T20I series here at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Suryakumar was the top-scorer for India as he slammed 111 runs in just 51 balls while Ishan Kishan scored 36 off 31. New Zealand star bowler Tim Southee bagged his career’s second hattrick as he dismissed Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, and Washington Sundar. Lockie Ferguson was proven to be a little expensive for Kiwis as the pacer bagged two wickets while conceding 49 runs in his 4 overs.

Put to bat first, India got off to a steady start as their openers Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant scored 36 runs in 5 overs without losing a wicket. However, the partnership between the two was broken by Lockie Ferguson as the New Zealand pacer sent Pant packing after scoring 6 off 13.

The right-handed batter Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat, and he joined hands with Kishan to slam New Zealand bowlers all around the ground. In the 7th over of the innings, Kishan hit James Neesham for two back-to-back fours. After the four delivery of the 7th over rain stopped the play and the ground staff brought out the covers.

New Zealand got a major breakthrough after the match resumed, Ishan Kishan was dismissed by Ish Sodhi after scoring 36 off 31. Shreyas Iyer then came out to bat. After 10 overs Team India’s score read 75/2.

Shreyas and Suryakumar then handled the charge to slam the Kiwi’s bowlers all around the ground. The duo continued their blistering performance and took their team’s score beyond 100-run in the 13th over of the game. But the 39 off 21 deliveries partnership was broken as Shreyas Iyer was dismissed by a hit wicket after scoring 13 off 9. India skipper Hardik Pandya then came out to bat on the crease.

Suryakumar brought his stunning half-century in just 32 deliveries in the 16th over of the game. It was his 13th T20I fifty. The batter smashed a massive six on Mitchel Santner’s delivery, taking Team India’s total to 129/3 after 16.0 overs.

Suryakumar welcomed the 17th over of the innings with a stunning six on the first delivery and the star batter continued his carnage to slam Tim Southee for 17 runs. Suryakumar then went above and beyond with his batting masterclass as the batter completed his breathtaking century in just 49 balls. In Lockie Ferguson’s over Suryakumar hammered three back-to-back fours and a six while gathering 22 runs.

In the penultimate over Southee bagged the hat trick as he dismissed Pandya, Deepak Hooda, and Washington Sundar to restrict India to 191/6 in the 20-over game.

Brief score: India 191/6 (Suryakumar Yadav 111*, Ishan Kishan 36, Tim Southee 3-34) vs New Zealand 126 all out (Kane Williamson 61, Glenn Phillips 12; Deepak Hooda 4-10).