At 70 for 5 in a chase of 181, most Indian fans in Christchurch had started doing the maths on how big the defeat would be. Then Tilak Varma walked out, and New Zealand’s evening fell apart one boundary at a time.
India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the second T20I at Hagley Oval on Saturday, October 24, 2026, chasing 181 with just one ball to spare. Tilak finished unbeaten on 51 off 26 balls, Nitish Kumar Reddy hit 26 not out off 13, and the pair added an unbroken 69 for the seventh wicket. The win gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Quick Facts
- Result: India 181/6 (19.5 overs) beat New Zealand 180/5 (20 overs) by 4 wickets
- Where: Hagley Oval, Christchurch, New Zealand
- When: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Player of the Match: Tilak Varma, 51* off 26 balls (6 fours, 1 six)
- Top for New Zealand: Glenn Phillips 70 off 43, Bevon Jacobs 58 off 46, Mitchell Santner 4/21
- Series: India lead 2-0 in the five-match T20I series
How New Zealand Got to 180
India won the toss and chose to bowl, and for the first six overs the decision looked smart. Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell and Finn Allen were all back in the hut with New Zealand on 41 for 3.
Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs then took the game away. Phillips hammered 70 off 43 balls with four fours and four sixes, while Jacobs played the steadier role with 58 off 46. Their stand carried the hosts deep into the innings before Arshdeep Singh removed Phillips with the score on 157.
Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up Jacobs, Arshdeep finished with 2 for 33, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Prince Yadav took a wicket each. New Zealand closed on 180 for 5, a total that felt above par on a pitch Tilak later described as slow.
Santner’s Spell Leaves India Reeling at 70/5
India’s reply started with intent but kept leaking wickets. Sanju Samson made 14 and Abhishek Sharma 27, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and captain Shreyas Iyer fell cheaply. When Axar Patel was dismissed, India were 70 for 5 and the asking rate was climbing every over.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was the main problem. His left-arm spin went for just 21 runs across four overs and brought him four wickets. Iyer admitted after the game that India “played a lot of dot balls initially” and that the pressure built from there.
Naman Dhir kept the chase breathing with a quick 31 off 17 balls, adding 42 with Tilak. But Santner struck again in his final over, and India slipped to 112 for 6 in the 15th over. They still needed 69 more, with only Nitish Kumar Reddy and the bowlers left to support Tilak.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Reddy: The Hyderabad Heist
What followed was a lesson in timing. Tilak and Nitish, whom Tilak later called the “Hyderabadi guys”, waited out the spinners and then went after the quicks. India scored 68 runs in the last five overs without losing another wicket, according to NewsX’s match report.
Tilak told reporters the plan was deliberate. He said he and Dhir had agreed to push hard against spin, and that a handful of twos off the slower bowlers on a big ground proved crucial. Once the pace bowlers returned, the boundaries came. Nitish then hit the winning runs with one ball left.
NewsX reported that the unbeaten 69 matches one of the highest seventh-wicket stands in successful T20I chases by a Full Member side, level with a partnership by Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka.
“Whole India Believes in You”: Gambhir’s Pre-Match Message
After the match, Tilak shared what head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak told him before the game. According to PTI, he said the coaches told him that “whole India believes in you” and that if he batted till the end, India could win.
He also had a small regret. Tilak said that if Dhir had not got out in Santner’s last over, India might have finished the job in the 18th over.
Iyer called every player in the squad “a match-winner” and praised Tilak and Nitish for showing character after India lost wickets in a cluster. Santner, for his part, pointed to New Zealand’s own mistakes, including no-balls and a wicket wiped out by a no-ball call, as the small moments that cost his team.
Why This Win Matters for India
Winning in New Zealand is never routine. Big grounds, swirling wind and tricky slow surfaces have tripped up many touring sides. Pulling off a chase like this, from a position where the match was nearly lost, says a lot about the depth in this Indian T20 batting order.
It also answers a question that comes up every time India’s top order fails: who finishes the game? On Saturday the answer came from two middle-order batters who stayed calm while the required rate kept climbing. For Tilak, already known as a big-match player in the shortest format, this knock adds another chapter.
For New Zealand, the worry is the death overs. Santner’s 4 for 21 put them in control, but the seamers could not hold that grip at the end. With three matches left, the Black Caps now have to win all of them to take the series.
Our Take
T20 chases are often won by the batter who refuses to panic, and Tilak Varma showed exactly that. India’s top order will want to look at those early dot balls, because relying on a rescue act every game is not a plan. But a side that can win from 70 for 5 away from home is a side that believes it is never out of a match, and that belief is hard to coach.
FAQs
Who won the India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I?
India won by four wickets at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, chasing 181 in 19.5 overs after New Zealand made 180 for 5.
How many runs did Tilak Varma score?
Tilak Varma scored 51 not out off 26 balls with six fours and a six, and was named Player of the Match.
Who took the most wickets in the match?
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner took 4 for 21 in his four overs. For India, Arshdeep Singh took 2 for 33.
What is the series score after the 2nd T20I?
India lead the five-match T20I series 2-0, with three matches left to play.
Where can I watch India vs New Zealand T20Is in India?
According to Outlook India, the series is shown on Sony Sports Network TV channels, with live streaming on the SonyLIV app and website.
Full scorecard and match details are available on the official BCCI website and in ESPNcricinfo’s match report.
Based on reporting by PTI (via ThePrint), NewsX, Outlook India and ESPNcricinfo.
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