Phillips and Jacobs Rescue NZ; India Strike Late to Limit Hosts to 180/5
New Zealand recovered from 43/3 to score 180/5 in the 2nd T20I, thanks to fifties from Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs.
In a rollercoaster second T20I at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand clawed their way back from a disastrous start to post a competitive total of 180/5 against India. While the Indian bowling attack dominated the early stages, half-centuries from Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs ensured the hosts set a challenging target of 181 for the visitors to chase.
India's Dominant Start
After being put in to bat, the New Zealand top order crumbled under pressure during the powerplay. India's bowlers were clinical, leaving the hosts reeling at 43/3 after the first six overs.
- Arshdeep Singh ignited the attack in the second over, dismissing Tim Seifert for 7, who was caught by Tilak Varma.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed up quickly in the next over, removing Daryl Mitchell for just 6.
- Prince Yadav completed the early damage in the sixth over, trapping Finn Allen for 16 with a full-length delivery.
The Middle-Order Squeeze
India looked to kill the game early as Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, and Nitish Reddy tightened the grip on the scoring rate. The pressure was palpable as New Zealand managed to scrape together only 23 runs across four overs, sliding to 63/3 by the 10-over mark.
Phillips and Jacobs Shift Gears
Just as India seemed to be in total control, Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs staged a massive recovery. The duo shifted gears, taking the score to 104/3 by the 14th over and neutralizing the Indian attack.
The partnership accelerated rapidly toward the end:
- Glenn Phillips reached his half-century in the 16th over, hitting the milestone off 33 deliveries.
- Bevon Jacobs followed suit in the very next over, reaching 50 off 40 balls.
Late Drama and Final Toll
With the hosts appearing to run away with the game, Arshdeep Singh returned to provide the crucial breakthrough, dismissing the dangerous Phillips for 70 (off 43 balls, including four sixes and four boundaries) in the 18th over.
The drama continued in the 19th over bowled by Nitish Reddy. Bevon Jacobs started the over with a massive six but was dismissed on the fifth ball, ending his resistance. Michael Bracewell entered the fray with a bang, smashing a six off his first delivery to take the score to 171/5.
Prince Yadav kept his composure in the final over, conceding only nine runs to restrict New Zealand to a final total of 180/5.
Bowling Summary for India
- Arshdeep Singh: 2/33 in 4 overs
- Prince Yadav: 1/30 in 4 overs
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 1/50 in 4 overs