India's Naman Dhir, right, shakes hands with his captain Shreyas Iyer, left, following the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and India in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
\n\nIndia picked a marvellous win over New Zealand in the first T20I as they made easy work of the 226-run target set by New Zealand. The Men in Blue got the start they wanted, and the team will now look to double the lead and inch closer to a fantastic series win. The first T20I was a close one, and Naman Dhir's late blitz was the difference between the two sides. Dew also played to India's advantage.
\n\nThe second T20I is also expected to be decided by close margins, and if India are batting second, they'll have the advantage again. But if they are batting first, they'll have to aim for a really big score as the Kiwi batting is equally capable of chasing a big score.
\n\nFor India, they were dealt a big blow as Ishan Kishan was ruled out due to injury. His absence, however, could pave the way for India to include the destructive Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to the playing XI.
\n\nIndia: Shreyas Iyer…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
