Incredible numbers
New Zealand were once again beaten in convincing fashion. © AFP
2-0 to India
At one stage, it looked tricky with Rohit and Kohli back in the pavilion for low scores but Rahul once again showed his class by anchoring the chase. Iyer provided great support at the other end and went after the bowling towards the end to make things easier. In the end, India win by 7 wickets with 15 balls to spare. It's going to be extremely difficult for New Zealand now to stage a comeback.
Iyer falls
Another good hand from Iyer but he gets greedy to get to that fifty and perishes. But he has certainly steadied India and put them on the brink of a win. India need only 8 more runs.
50 for KL
He got lucky with a top edge going all the way for a six but he then fetches a boundary to get to a hard-fought fifty. Scoring hasn't been easy tonight but he has found a way to fetch some vital runs. New Zealand leaked a lot of runs in the 15th over and India are certainly on top now. They need 30 off 30.
Update - India 60/2 after 10 overs
New Zealand are bowling some tight overs here and India are not being allowed to get away. They are scoring at run-a-ball and it won't be enough to get over the line. They need 73 from the next 10. With Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja to come, India will fancy their chances but Rahul remains the key.
Kohli falls
Bonus wicket for New Zealand. This was bowled down leg from Southee and Kohli tickles it with Seifert fetching the catch. New Zealand are delighted. They didn't see it coming.
Early wicket for New Zealand
Two fours and he is gone!! A hint of away movement for Southee and Rohit attempts a loose drive only to edge it to first slip. New Zealand badly needed this start and will need one or two more quick wickets now.
Top finish
India have been clinical throughout the innings and at the death, nothing really changed. They kept squeezing and Seifert might probably believe he could have helped them fetch more runs. 132 is most likely won't be good enough. New Zealand need a miracle.
Seifert tees off
This was much-needed for New Zealand. Seifert takes on Chahal and fetches a four and a six in the 16th over. New Zealand are now 109/4 after 16 overs and they have four overs left in their innings. Bumrah will bowl at one end making things difficult.
India keep striking
Williamson's struggles are over as well. He sweeps one straight to the fielder at the boundary. And New Zealand are in tatters. They will pin their hopes on Taylor only for a decent score.
Jaddu strikes
India are now on top of New Zealand for sure. The pitch is aiding the slow bowlers and CDG tamely chips one back to Jadeja to gift him a wicket in his first over of the game. New Zealand badly need a partnership and they now have their most experienced duo out their in the middle.
He is pumped up
Munro falls
Dube strikes for India as New Zealand lose Colin Munro. The left-hander had a tough outing today struggling to put away the slower deliveries bowled by India's pacers. Dube bowls on the back of the length and the batsman mistimes the shot to be caught by a diving Kohli. CDG joins skipper Williamson.
Stat attack
This is the first instance of Munro since Jan 2016 scoring less than run-a-ball in PP where he has opened and remained unbeaten.
Powerplay to India
Not often you say the powerplay went in favour of the bowling side despite the batting outfit scoring 48 in the powerplay but India actually managed to keep Colin Munro quiet once again. Guptill had to do the scoring but he played one shot too many in the final over of the powerplay and managed to mistime one shot to get caught by Kohli. New Zealand are 48/1.
Toss - New Zealand opt to bat
Slightly surprised but Kane Williamson believes that the wicket will get slower as the game goes on. Both teams are unchanged by the way. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul(w), Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Manish Pandey, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand (Playing XI): Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(c), Colin de Grandhomme, Ross Taylor, Tim Seifert(w), Mitchell Santner, Blair Tickner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Hamish Bennett
Build up
If Team India had any complaints about the scheduling of this series having been asked to play the opening T20I barely five days after the final ODI against Australia at home, then they are certainly in for more. Less than 48 hours after their convincing win over hosts New Zealand, India will be back in the park again at the same venue looking to edge closer to the series win. A win tonight will make it extremely difficult for New Zealand to mentally bounce back and win the series 3-2. The hosts would already be disappointed after losing the first game after posting more than 200 on the board.
You can't ask for more from a batting unit. Not often do teams post more than 200 against a side that has Jasprit Bumrah and replicating it is going to be difficult despite the short boundaries on offer. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor hit fifties with a strike rate of 200 and perhaps the openers will be asked to go out there and tonk from ball one tonight. Or if luck favours them, New Zealand can bowl first and see how much India post on the board and then be calculative in their run chase.
India will be buoyed by their own chase on Friday night especially with someone like Shreyas Iyer coming to the party with a crucial fifty right at the end of the chase. But they will be hopeful that Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami can stage strong comebacks after going for plenty in the first game. And what about Rishabh Pant? He suddenly finds himself on the sidelines now with KL Rahul's emergence as a wicketkeeper. Will Pant be included tonight or will India stick to the same combination? Welcome to the live blog for this second T20I. Let's hope for some entertainment on a lazy sunday!!