New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner lavished praise on India’s batters for a stunning performance in the second T20I, where the hosts chased down a stiff target of 209 with 28 balls to spare. He even joked that “maybe 300 isn’t enough” against such a strong and deep batting line-up.
India's second-highest successful T20I chase
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 82, while Ishan Kishan’s fiery 76 guided India to a seven-wicket win that helped India to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The chase was the second-highest successful T20I chase in India’s history, only behind their 211/4 against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009. It also surpassed several other notable chases, including 209/4 vs West Indies (Hyderabad, 2019), 209/8 vs Australia (Vizag, 2023), and 204/4 vs New Zealand (Auckland, 2020).
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Santner on India's batting lineup
Santner admitted that chasing totals of 200–210 no longer feels safe against India.
“Against these guys, maybe 300. When you face a side like India that bats deep on a good wicket and comes out with intent from ball one… it puts us under a lot of pressure. We probably have to bowl a bit harder, knowing that 200–210 isn’t enough,” he said.
India Breaks Pakistan's World Record
India’s emphatic win was also historic in terms of balls remaining. It became the biggest win by balls left for a full-member nation while chasing a total over 200, surpassing Pakistan’s 24-ball win over New Zealand in Auckland in 2025 and Australia’s 23-ball victory against West Indies in Basseterre the same year.
| Team | Opponent | Target | Balls Remaining | Year |
| India | New Zealand | 209 | 28 | 2026 |
| Pakistan | New Zealand | 205 | 24 | 2025 |
| Australia | West Indies | 215 | 23 | 2025 |
| South Africa | West Indies | 206 | 14 | 2007 |
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I
Earlier, New Zealand had set a challenging target after being asked to bat. Both openers got starts but failed to build big innings. Rachin Ravindra top-scored with 44 off 26 balls, while Santner himself contributed an unbeaten 47 off 27 balls to push the total past 200. Zak Foulkes remained not out on 15 off 8. The visitors finished at 208/6.
Reflecting on the match, Santner said rotating players and testing combinations under pressure was a valuable learning experience.
“We still have some guys to come. You want to make sure everyone is firing for the World Cup. Rotation tonight, under pressure, was good for us to learn and bounce back,” he said.
Santner on his new batting role
Santner also spoke about his role at No. 7. Batting in the lower order, he said it’s important to make runs when the conditions allow while balancing his bowling responsibilities.
“My role at seven is to score runs. The wicket was very good and the outfield was fast, so I had to cash in. I also have to bowl when it’s flat. We’ll move on and see how the dew plays at the next venue,” he added.