Result Summary
India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets with 1 ball remaining in the 2nd T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on 24 October 2026, to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series on the India tour of New Zealand 2026-27. India won the toss and elected to field, then chased 181 in 19.5 overs to finish on 181 for 6, after New Zealand had posted 180 for 5 in 20 overs. It was a tense finish, with India recovering from 70 for 5 and 112 for 6 in the 15th over before an unbeaten 69-run stand off 30 balls for the seventh wicket sealed the win.
New Zealand Innings
New Zealand finished on 180 for 5 in 20 overs after a difficult start. They were 44 for 3 in the powerplay, with Finn Allen scoring 16 off 14, Tim Seifert 7 off 6 and Daryl Mitchell 6 off 5, before Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs rebuilt the innings. Phillips made 70 off 43 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes, while Jacobs made 58 off 46 balls, with 5 fours and 1 six. Their 116-run fourth-wicket stand turned the match around. Mitchell Santner finished 4 not out off 5 balls and Michael Bracewell 10 not out off 2 balls. For India, Arshdeep Singh took 2 for 33, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1 for 50, Prince Yadav 1 for 30, Nitish Kumar Reddy 1 for 31, Axar Patel 0 for 28 and Naman Dhir 0 for 7.
India Innings and Scorecard Summary
India finished on 181 for 6 in 19.5 overs, winning with 1 ball to spare. The chase was far from smooth. Abhishek Sharma made 27 off 21, Sanju Samson 14 off 17, Shreyas Iyer 7 off 11, Axar Patel 11 off 9 and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 4 off 8, leaving India at 70 for 5 and then 112 for 6 in the 15th over. Naman Dhir hit 31 off 17, with 1 four and 3 sixes, before Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy took charge. Tilak finished 51 not out off 26, with 6 fours and 1 six, while Nitish finished 26 not out off 13, with 1 four and 1 six. Their unbeaten 69 off 30 balls for the seventh wicket won the match. For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner took 4 for 21, Jacob Duffy 1 for 41, Nathan Smith 1 for 34 and Matt Henry 0 for 11.
| New Zealand batting | Top scores |
| Glenn Phillips | 70 (43) |
| Bevon Jacobs | 58 (46) |
| Best bowling, India | Arshdeep Singh 2/33 |
| India batting | Top scores |
| Tilak Varma | 51* (26) |
| Naman Dhir | 31 (17) |
| Best bowling, NZ | Mitchell Santner 4/21 |
Turning Points
The first turning point was the Phillips-Jacobs stand. New Zealand were 44 for 3 in the powerplay, but their 116-run fourth-wicket partnership took the hosts to a competitive 180 for 5. The second came from Mitchell Santner, whose 4 for 21 removed Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Naman Dhir and left India at 70 for 5, then 112 for 6 in the 15th over. The decisive moment, however, was the unbeaten 69 off 30 balls between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy. With the required rate climbing, they found boundaries at the right time and finished the chase with 1 ball to spare.
Key Performances
Tilak Varma led the way for India with an unbeaten 51 off 26, while Nitish Kumar Reddy gave him strong support with 26 not out off 13. Naman Dhir changed the tempo with 31 off 17, including 3 sixes. For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips made 70 off 43 and Bevon Jacobs 58 off 46, and their partnership was the backbone of the home total. Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 21, while Arshdeep Singh took 2 for 33 for India. Together, these performances decided a match that swung several times before the final over.
Player of the Match
Tilak Varma was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 51 off 26 balls. Coming in during a difficult chase, he played with calmness and intent, hitting 6 fours and 1 six. His unbeaten 69-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy, off just 30 balls, turned a match India looked like losing into a win with 1 ball remaining. It was a match-winning innings under pressure at Hagley Oval.
What This Means for the Series
India now lead the five-match series 2-0, so New Zealand must win the remaining matches to stay in contention. The win also showed India’s depth: even after losing 6 wickets, the lower middle order finished the chase under pressure. For New Zealand, the positives were the Phillips-Jacobs partnership and Santner’s bowling, but they will need more support around those performances in the next match. The series now shifts with India holding clear momentum.
FAQs
Who won the New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I? India won by 4 wickets, chasing 181 in 19.5 overs at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. What was the final score? New Zealand made 180 for 5 in 20 overs, and India finished on 181 for 6. Who was Player of the Match? Tilak Varma, for his unbeaten 51 off 26 balls. Who were the top scorers? Glenn Phillips made 70 for New Zealand, while Tilak Varma made 51 not out for India. What is the series score now? India lead the five-match series 2-0.
Conclusion
India’s 4-wicket win at Hagley Oval was built on resilience. After a poor start with the bat and a strong New Zealand recovery, Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy produced a calm, unbeaten finish to take the series lead to 2-0. New Zealand will take heart from Phillips, Jacobs and Santner, but India leave Christchurch as the team in control of the series.
Related coverage:
New Zealand vs India, 2nd T20I preview
New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I recap
full scorecard on ESPNcricinfo
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