Team India showed in Nagpur why they are the no. 1 ranked T20I team in the world. They hammered New Zealand by a margin of 48 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Abhishek Sharma started 2026 from where he left off in 2025 and scored a blistering 22-ball fifty against the Black Caps and recorded the fastest Indian T20I fifty against this opposition. Rinku Singh, who finally had his chance, played a brilliant cameo of 44 off 20 balls.
For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips batted well for his 78 off 40, and Jacob Duffy was impressive with the ball. But India posted a mammoth total of 237, which was never going to be easy for the Black Caps to chase, and they failed to do so. Suryakumar Yadav looked in good nick and played a good hand. That was good to see, from India's perspective. Now, these two teams will be up against each other for the second time. The second T20I will be live from Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur, on January 23 (Friday) at 7 PM IST.
IND vs NZ: Match Info.
·Series: New Zealand tour of India 2026
·Match: India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I
·Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur
·Time: 7:00 PM IST
·Date: January 23, 2026 (Friday)
India vs New Zealand: Head-to-Head: IND (15) – NZ (10)
With a 48-run win in Nagpur, India have now won 15 games against New Zealand in the shorter format. New Zealand have come out victorious in ten out of 26 games between the two, while one game ended with no result.
IND vs NZ: Pitch Report
The wicket in Raipur is considered batting-friendly. Only one T20I has been played here so far. The wicket has minimal help for the bowlers, apart from some early swing or movement. Fast bowlers can change the pace at this wicket and can make it a little hard for the batters. But it is a pure wicket to bat on, and batters will enjoy their time here.
IND vs NZ: Live Streaming Details
·TV: Star Sports Network
·Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
IND vs NZ: Weather Report
The weather forecast for Friday evening in Raipur will be a little humid. The temperature is expected to be between 26 and 28°C, with the humidity index in excess of 50 percent and a moderate wind speed of 8-10 kmph.
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
IND vs NZ: Probable Best Batter
New Zealand: Glenn Phillips followed his century in the third ODI with a good knock in Nagpur. He has shown how dangerous he can be, and India will want to see the back of him early.
India: Abhishek Sharma is a game-changer with the bat. 20 balls for him is enough to take India to the driving seat. That is why it is important for New Zealand to dismiss him early.
IND vs NZ: Probable Best Bowler
New Zealand: Jacob Duffy has the most wickets in the powerplay in T20Is in 2025, and he showed that in the first game as well with a brilliant spell of 2/27 when other bowlers went well over 10 runs per over.
India: Varun Chakravarthy is India's premier wicket-taker in this format. It is not easy to line him up and go after him. His different variations are hard to pick, and he will be India's ace bowler for this game.
India vs New Zealand Today’s Match Prediction:New Zealand did suffer a hammering, but it was largely because of the way they performed. They looked a little tentative on the field, and their bowlers looked wayward. Generally, they are very disciplined with the ball, but 14 wides is something they must take note of. We can expect a better performance from them in the second game.
But can they improve so much as to challenge this Indian batting lineup? If they can get Abhishek out early, then there can be a good chance. India have a strong batting unit, and Abhishek is the x-factor at the top. Though India are capable of still posting a big total without Abhishek's contribution. That is one big challenge for the Black Caps. But even with the ball, India have a great lineup. Hence, India are better placed to win the second game as well.
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