Suryakumar Yadav scored a dazzling hundred as India defeated New Zealand by 65 runs in the second T20 international at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
After being asked to bat first by New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, openers Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant got India off to a steady start. The duo added 36 runs for the opening wicket before Pant (6) skied a delivery from Lockie Ferguson to Tim Southee.
Kishan looked good for a brief while, before he slashed at a short ball from Ish Sodhi to Southee at short third man for a 31 ball-36.
Shreyas Iyer’s (13) innings was cut short as he was dismissed hit wicket by Ferguson. The pair of Suryakumar along with skipper Hardik Pandya added 82 runs for the fourth wicket.
However Tim Southee claimed a hat trick in the final over by dismissing Hardik (13), Deepak Hooda (0) and Washington Sundar (0) off consecutive deliveries to keep India under 200. Yadav remained unbeaten on a sizzling knock of 111.
In the end, The Men in Blue finished at 191/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
For New Zealand, Southee was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/34.
Chasing 192, Bhuvneshwar Kumar got India off to an dream start by claiming Finn Allen (0) off the second ball of the innings, caught at deep third man by Arshdeep Singh.
Devon Conway and Williamson added 56 runs for the second wicket before the former slog swept a delivery from Washington Sundar to Arshdeep for 25.
Glenn Phillips came in and smacked Yuzvendra Chahal for a maximum over fine leg. However, the leg spinner had his man in the same over by cleaning up Phillips while attempting an another heave.
Daryl Mitchell (10) then miscued a lofted hit from Deepak Hooda to Shreyas Iyer at long on. James Neesham fell soon after holding out to Ishan Kishan at long on off Chahal, as the hosts lost half their side for 89.
Williamson reached his half century by smashing Mohammed Siraj for a maximum at deep backward square. However the Kiwi skipper fell in the same over, under edging a full toss from Siraj onto his stumps.
Hooda wrapped up the innings by dismissing Ish Sodhi, Southee and Adam Milne in quick succession, as the Black Caps were folded for 126 in 18.5 overs.
For India, Deepak Hooda ended up with an impressive figures of 4/10, while Siraj and Chahal claimed 2 wickets each.