Twitter Reactions: India level the series after low scoring thriller in Lucknow

Suryakumar Yadav hit the winning runs to take the series into a decider in Ahmedabad.

By Chaitanya Prakash

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4 Min Read

Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav
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Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar)

The second T20I between India and New Zealand in Lucknow turned out to be a low-scoring thriller as the hosts drew level in the three-match series in a nervy finish. India got over the line with six wickets in hand despite bundling out the visitors for a paltry 99 in the first innings.

Chasing a series-leveling victory, India did not need to do anything out of the ordinary due to the below-par total on board. But the Kiwi bowlers did not offer any freebies to the Indian openers and dismissed Shubman Gill for another low score in the series. Following that early wicket, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tripathi steadied the innings with a sedated partnership.

However, just when it looked like India were in cruise control, Kishan was run out after a slight mix-up. Tripathi departed soon after as the Kiwi bowlers started to pile the pressure on the hosts on a treacherous surface. Suryakumar Yadav, the No.1 T20I batter in the world, struggled initially and it was Washington Sundar who looked more composed in their pivotal stand for the fourth wicket.

But the match took another interesting turn when Sundar had to sacrifice his wicket after a terrible mix-up with Suryakumar Yadav. That is when Hardik Pandya entered the arena with his side in a tricky position in the decisive second T20I. The visitors almost pulled the rabbit out of the hat defending a low total, but Suryakumar held his nerve and hit the winning runs for his side on the penultimate delivery of the match.

Indian spinners put the kiwi batters in a stranglehold in the first innings

The visitors, who won the first game comfortably, batted first in the second T20I after skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss on a spin-friendly surface in Lucknow. The Kiwis got off to a decent start in the decisive encounter, but Hardik Pandya's decision to include Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing eleven worked wonders as he got rid of the dangerous Finn Allen in the fourth over of the match, which also turned out to be a wicket-maiden.

Although the surface was covered by a tinge of grass, it wasn't much more than a showpiece as the spinners were turning the ball square even with the new ball. The Kiwi batters had no answer against the Indian spinners as their side slumped to 60/5 after the 12-over mark. While the bowling was on point from the Indian bowlers, four of the top five Kiwi batters departed while attempting a reverse sweep.

Given the assistance to the slower bowlers, Hardik held back his two new ball pacers, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi, until the 17th over mark, with the left-arm pacer getting his hands on the ball for the 18th over. Arshdeep scalped two wickets in his first over and finished with a brilliant last over to restrict the visitors to a modest 99 runs in their 20 overs.

Here is how Twitter reacted to a low-scoring thriller in Lucknow:

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India vs New Zealand 2023IndiaNew ZealandWashington SundarHardik Pandya