IND vs NZ | Tone to India’s second T20I victory set by bowlers, admits Zaheer Khan

India got home early, scoring the needed 133 runs in the 17.3 overs to take the lead of 2-0 going into the final three T20I games of the series. While Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul continued their merry run with the bat, scoring 44 and 57 respectively. Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan believed that it was the bowlers who set the platform for the Indian batsmen early on in the innings. 

“End of the powerplay, it was an open game, that is where the bowlers’ job is highlighted. After the powerplays, the experienced Indian bowlers understood the job and scored nicely against the Kiwi batsmen. The tone to India’s victory was set by the bowling,” Zaheer Khan said in the Cricbuzz post-match show. 

After New Zealand won the second straight toss and elected to bat, the Indian bowlers were on the advantage with the conditions favouring the bowlers. Despite the early tight bowling from the opening bowlers, it needed Shardul Thakur to take the opening wicket in the 6th over of the innings, after he was hit for two straight boundaries by Martin Guptill. 

As soon as the spinners came into the attack, India started tightening the line and length, picking up two wickets in three overs. While Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Shami went wicketless, the others contributed with a wicket each. Ravindra Jadeja was impressive with his bowling, picking up two wickets for 18 runs in four overs. 

“They (Indian bowlers) were prepared for the fight, it is like when you got in a fight if you don’t expect punches thrown at you, then you are underprepared. However, this team was prepared to throw and take punches when required from the home side,” he concluded.