India asserted dominance with a seven-wicket rout of New Zealand in Raipur’s second T20I, powered by Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten masterclass. Yet, the captain peeled back layers on an early frustration that nearly disrupted the flow.
‘I was annoyed in the powerplay; Ishan wasn’t passing the strike,’ Suryakumar revealed. Composing himself, he appreciated Ishan’s bold strategy, which delivered a stunning powerplay turnaround.
Suryakumar’s 82 off 37 balls, adorned with 9 fours and 4 sixes, anchored massive partnerships: 122 with Ishan and 81* with Shivam Dube. ‘We want our batters to express themselves, and that’s what happened,’ he said.
Praising the bowling unit’s resilience against NZ’s 110/2, he said, ‘Thought they’d hit 230, but they delivered.’ In top form after nets and rest, SKY is soaking in the joy of a happy team environment.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner, with 47* off 27, faced the heat. ‘India’s lineup has depth; we had to pressure them from ball one, but they dictated terms.’ Dew hampered his two overs, but he eyes a comeback in the five-match series.