India defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the second T20 held at Ranchi to win the three match series held at home. Fans returned to the stadium for the first time in years to enjoy the home team play.
The partnership of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma put up 100 runs on the board to help the batting line-up achieve a strong grip on the chase. Rahul and Sharma both scored half-centuries before being dismissed. Rishabh Pant would then ensure that the home team comfortably won the game.
Martin Guptill became the highest scorer in T20 internationals, surpassing Virat Kohli in the first innings of the game. The Kiwis put on 153 runs for six wickets in the first half of the game, but were unable to defend it.
Their bowling and fielding continues to cost them vital matches, after suffering a similar feat in the finals of the World Cup.
Playing at home, India had a dominant batting performance in both games. They also managed to restrict their opponents to achievable totals. New Zealand, similarly, also had a very good batting performance in both the games. But unlike India, their bowling was not quite enough to keep the home team at bay.
The final game of the series is now a mere formality, with Eden Gardens set to host the third T20. The stadium was sold out in 15 minutes after tickets went online, and the only thing at stake is a series win for India.
