Chennai: All eyes were on Yuvraj Singh as the champion was on his emotional return to the international cricket after fighting cancer and the left-hander didn’t disappoint as he went on to make 34 crucial runs ((26b, 1x4, 2x6) in a thrilling T20 encounter which India lost to New Zealand by one run here on Tuesday.
Chasing a daunting target of 167, India started their innings with Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. Though Gambhir fell off cheaply for 3, in-form Virat found an able partner in Suresh Raina and went on to add 60 runs for the second wicket before Raina (27) gave a catch to Ross Taylor off Mills. Then came Yuvraj and in company of Virat, the duo nearly took the match away from the Kiwis before the visitors got a breakthrough in form of Virat who was caught by Southee off Franklin.
Thereafter, skipper MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh failed to accelerate the innings which proved crucial towards the end as from 7 runs an over till the end of 13th over, the asking rate shot to over 10 in the last three overs. It was the penultimate over that a six by Yuvraj once again brought the Indians back into the game. Requiring 13 off the last over, Dhoni started the over with a four and when it looked India would wrap up the game, Yuvraj was completely beaten by the slow pace of the ball off Franklin with India still needing six runs off last two deliveries. However Rohit Sharma failed to repeat his IPL heroics and India agonisingly finished one run short.
Earlier, Brendon McCullum rescued the New Zealand innings after the visitors got off to a dreadful start, losing both their openers Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill within the first two overs. McCullum scored a 55-ball 91 as New Zealand managed to post a daunting 167 for five in the second Twenty20 International. McCullum scored as 11 boundaries and three sixes. Skipper Ross Taylor and Oram plundered 21 runs in the last two overs, which proved costly for India in the end.
Irfan Pathan was most successful Indian bowler with figures of three for 31 including the prize scalp of McCullum.
Scorecard
New Zealand innings: 167 for five in 20 overs (B McCullum 91, K Williamson 28, R Taylor not out 25, Zaheer Khan 1 for 27, Irfan Pathan 3 for 31).
India innings: 166 for 4 (Virat Kohli 70, Suresh Raina 27, Yuvraj Singh 34, MS Dhoni 22 not out, K Mills 2 for 17, Franklin 2 for 26).
By Indian Sports News Network
