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Tilak Varma Leads India’s Stunning Heist Against New Zealand As Netizens React To Thrilling Win
By CricShots - Oct 24, 2026 5:29 pm
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India registered their 200th victory in T20I cricket after defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the second match of the five-match series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. The thrilling win also marked India’s 300th T20I appearance, making them the second team after Pakistan, who have played 304 matches, to reach the milestone. After New Zealand posted 180/5, India found themselves in trouble at 70/5. However, a fighting half-century from Tilak Varma and valuable support from Nitish Kumar Reddy helped the visitors complete the chase with one ball remaining. Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma and Nitish Reddy pulled off a heist for India against New Zealand

New Zealand struggled early, losing three wickets for 41 runs inside the powerplay. Arshdeep Singh provided the first breakthrough by dismissing Tim Seifert for seven, with Tilak Varma taking the catch at cover. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then removed Daryl Mitchell for six, claiming his first T20I wicket in nearly four years. Prince Yadav added to New Zealand’s problems by bowling Finn Allen for 16 in the final over of the powerplay.

Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs subsequently rebuilt the innings with a crucial 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket. After negotiating a challenging middle phase, the pair accelerated to put the hosts back in control. Phillips top-scored with 70 off 43 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and four sixes. Jacobs also produced an impressive innings, scoring 58 to complete a valuable half-century.

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Arshdeep eventually broke the partnership in the 18th over, having Phillips caught by Naman Dhir. Nitish Kumar Reddy then dismissed Jacobs, who picked out Axar Patel in the field. Michael Bracewell provided a late boost with an unbeaten 10 off just two balls, helping New Zealand finish at 180/5.

Arshdeep returned figures of 2/33 and reached 38 T20I wickets in 2026, according to the supplied match figures, surpassing Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s previous Indian record of 37 wickets in a calendar year in 2022. India began their chase of 181 with positive intent, but New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner turned the contest around with a devastating spell.

Sanju Samson departed for 14 after being caught off Jacob Duffy. Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, playing at number three in place of the injured Ishan Kishan, managed just four before Nathan Smith dismissed him. Abhishek Sharma scored 27 but could not convert his start into a substantial innings. Santner then dismissed Shreyas Iyer for seven and Axar Patel for 11 in the same over, leaving India struggling at 70/5.

Santner’s four-wicket burst put New Zealand firmly in control and left India needing a remarkable recovery to stay in the contest. Naman Dhir briefly revived India’s hopes with an aggressive 31 off 17 balls, including three sixes. However, Santner removed him in the 15th over, leaving India at 112/6.

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Tilak Varma remained composed at the other end and shifted gears when Nitish Kumar Reddy joined him. The pair stitched together an unbeaten 69-run partnership for the seventh wicket from just 30 deliveries. Tilak brought up his half-century in 25 balls and finished unbeaten on 51. Nitish contributed an unbeaten 26, including a six off Duffy, as India completed the chase at 181/6 in 19.5 overs.

Santner finished with impressive figures of 4/21, but his effort was not enough to prevent India’s comeback victory. The result gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The third match is scheduled to take place in Wellington on Tuesday.

NZ vs IND 2nd T20I: Brief Scores

  • New Zealand: 180/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 70, Bevon Jacobs 58; Arshdeep Singh 2/33)
  • India: 181/6 in 19.5 overs (Tilak Varma 51*, Naman Dhir 31; Mitchell Santner 4/21)
  • Result: India won by four wickets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags 2nd T20IHeistIND vs NZindiaIndia vs. New Zealandmatch-winning knocknetizensTilak Varma