India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, chasing down a target of 181 with one ball remaining to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy guided India to victory with an unbeaten partnership after the visitors lost six wickets during the chase.
New Zealand appeared to be in a commanding position when Mitchell Santner claimed four wickets to reduce India to 112/6 in 14.5 overs. However, Tilak and Nitish held their nerve under pressure, putting together an unbeaten 69-run stand to take India across the finish line in 19.5 overs.
Tilak top-scored for India with an unbeaten 51 off just 26 deliveries, while Nitish remained not out on 26 from 13 balls. Their timely counterattack turned the match around and denied New Zealand an opportunity to level the series.
Batting first, New Zealand posted 180/5 in their allotted 20 overs, with Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs leading the scoring.
Phillips struck 70 runs, while Jacobs contributed 58 to help the hosts set India a challenging target of 181. Their contributions gave New Zealand a competitive total to defend on home soil.
For India, Arshdeep Singh was the leading wicket-taker, finishing with figures of 2/33. The Indian bowlers managed to restrict New Zealand to 180, leaving the visitors with a demanding chase.
India's chase got off to a difficult phase as New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner struck regularly to put the visitors on the back foot. Santner finished with figures of 4/21, causing significant damage to India's middle order.
Naman Dhir contributed 31 runs, but India continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. With the required run rate rising and six wickets already down, the visitors faced an uphill task in the closing stages.
New Zealand looked firmly in control at 112/6 after 14.5 overs, leaving India needing a strong partnership to keep their hopes of victory alive.
Tilak and Nitish responded with a crucial partnership, combining aggressive strokeplay with calm batting under pressure. The duo found boundaries at important moments and steadily brought down the target.
Tilak's unbeaten 51 anchored the recovery, while Nitish's 26 not out provided valuable support at the other end. Their 69-run partnership ensured India did not lose another wicket and completed the chase with one ball to spare.
The four-wicket victory gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. New Zealand had threatened to take control through Santner's spell, but Tilak and Nitish's late fightback proved decisive in securing another win for the visitors.