- India take on New Zealand in the second T20 of the three-match series in Rajkot on Saturday.
- India thrashed the visitors by 53 runs in the first T20 in Delhi.
- The match is scheduled to start at 7pm. It will be broadcasted on Star Sports and live streamed on Hotstar.
After registering their first-ever T20 win against New Zealand on 1 November, India would be looking to clinch their third series in the twenty over format in five years on Saturday. The hosts take on the visitors in the second game of the three-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
The comprehensive 53-run victory in the series opener at Delhi has put India firmly in the saddle for sweeping to a winning 2-0 lead.
The resounding victory, riding on the exhilarating batting exploits of their top-order and, in particular openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, was the country's first-ever over the Kiwis in the shortest form of the game.
The 2007 World T20 champions have produced impressive death bowling with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah leading the pace department, while the spinners also pitched in with some excellent bowling in the middle overs.
Considering the immense all-round strength that the hosts boast of, it's going to be a Herculean task for the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand to prevent India from surging to a third T20I series victory in eight contests, going back to 2012-13, three of which were drawn encounters.
The Indian top order batting, with superb stroke-makers in Dhawan, Sharma and Kohli, has to be tamed early if New Zealand hope to carry on the fight till the series-ending game.
Dhawan and Sharma put on a record 158-run partnership that went into the 16th over to ensure that India ended up with a plus-200 total, despite a brief wobble towards the end.
The Black Caps' new ball attack of Trent Boult and Tim Southee lacked discipline in Delhi. It came as a bit of a surprise that experienced Kiwi bowlers were ineffective with yorkers at the death, unlike the Indian duo of Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar.
And the catching too has let the Black Caps down in contrast to some superb outfield efforts by the Men in Blue.
"We were outplayed in all the areas, fielding included, which is something we pride ourselves on, and something we need to be much better at in Twenty20 cricket," Williamson had said after the Delhi loss to Virat Kohli-led India.
Kohli has led the team from the front and is himself fast approaching the 2000-run landmark in T20Is.
If the top batsmen fall cheaply, there are others spearheaded by former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to come to the home team's rescue.
In slow bowling too, leggie Yuzvendra Chahal has continued to trouble the Black Caps' batsmen, in particular captain Williamson and senior pro Ross Taylor, who is unable to read the twirl on the ball off the wrist spinner's hand.
Only the left-handed Tom Latham, among the visiting team’s batsmen, has shown a consistently sound and effective approach against the spin bowlers.
Last month, India had clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1.
Incidentally, this would be the second T20 International to be played at this venue on the outskirts of the city. The first one was against Australia in October, 2013, won by the home side.
It has also hosted two ODIs at this stadium – in 2013 and 2015 – and in both these games, India ended up on the losing side against England and South Africa respectively.
It became a Test venue last season when India played against England.
The last game of the series is scheduled at Thiruvananthapuram on 7 November.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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