Raipur, Jan 22 (NationPress) Following a commanding victory at the start of the five-match T20I series, the Indian cricket team aims to sustain their momentum as they face New Zealand in the second match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium this Friday.

Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India kicked off their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup with a convincing 48-run win against the Black Caps in the series opener held in Nagpur on Wednesday. This triumph gives the hosts a 1–0 lead and a chance to solidify their advantage in the series.

The Indian batting lineup showcased their prowess in the first T20I, with opener Abhishek Sharma delivering a spectacular performance, scoring 84 runs off just 35 balls. The 25-year-old hit five fours and eight sixes, setting up a formidable total.

Support from the middle order was also notable, as Rinku Singh finished unbeaten on 44, while captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya contributed significantly, leading India to a total of 238 for seven in their 20 overs.

The bowlers ensured there were no last-minute jitters. Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and all-rounder Shivam Dube each took two wickets, successfully restricting New Zealand to 190 for seven despite a strong resistance.

New Zealand's Glenn Phillips stood out with the bat, scoring 78 runs from 40 balls, but lacked substantial backing from his teammates.

Jacob Duffy, New Zealand's top-ranked bowler, continued his excellent form from last year, securing two vital wickets for just 27 runs in his four overs. His performance will be pivotal for New Zealand as they strive for a comeback in the 2nd T20I.

India has only participated in one T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, where they recorded a 20-run victory against Australia in 2023.

The pitch has historically favored spinners, who exhibited greater success in the previous match at the venue, averaging 18.16 in wickets taken and maintaining superior control compared to seamers. The spinners allowed only 6.41 runs per over, while fast bowlers conceded 9.17 runs per over.

Glenn Phillips is nearing a milestone, needing just three more sixes to hit 100 maximums in T20I, and is also four catches shy of reaching 150 catches in T20 cricket.

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is approaching another achievement, requiring five more sixes to reach 200 maximums across all international formats. Meanwhile, middle-order batter Rinku Singh is just 59 runs away from 3,500 runs in T20 cricket.

As the series progresses, India will be eager to build on the confidence gained from their first match. The team management is expected to keep the same playing XI in pursuit of a 2-0 lead.

On the other hand, New Zealand is determined to level the series. The visitors will seek an improved performance from their bowlers and better consistency from their batting order to counter India's aggressive approach.

When: Friday, Jan 24, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur

Where to Watch: Star Sports Network for live television coverage and JioHotstar for live streaming.

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravi Bishnoi

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicket-keeper), Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi.