Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

NZ vs IND 2nd T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ vs IND 2nd T20 Dream11 | New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I Preview Dream11 Prediction | NZ vs IND 2nd T20I Dream11 Prediction Today

The second match the double-header in Auckland has an interesting feel to it.

In the first match, New Zealand were on track for 220+, the kind of score teams need on a ground with straight boundaries so small. But, Jasprit Bumrah was superb in overs 18 and 20, conceding just 16 that included three overthrows.

Bumrah, along with the batting contributions right the way down, were the significant positives for India. However, their fielding was poor, and when you have the opportunity to stop runs on a small ground, you simply have to take them.

In the second of five matches, will it be India to take a very significant 2-0 lead, or will it be New Zealand who build on their positives from match one?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Colin Munro continued his love affair with India in T20 cricket. He is now the only player to have 300+ runs in India-NZ matches.
• Ross Taylor is coming off his first half century in six years in T20I cricket. His hitting was a sight to behold on Friday.
• Can Rohit Sharma bounce back? If he does, India could look at a very big total given how their other batsmen performed.
• Those other batsmen include KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Player of the Match Shreyas Iyer.
• KL Rahul has hit 45, 54 and 56 in his last three T20Is. In between, he hit 47, 80 and 19 in the ODIs vs Australia. In great white-ball form.
• Virat Kohli is the third-highest scorer in India-NZ matches (242 runs at avg, 48.40, SR: 152.20). He is coming off 45 in the last match.
• Shreyas Iyer’s hitting late on (58* off 29) makes him an excellent finishing option for India in this format.
• Tim Seifert failed last game, but still has 140 runs in four games vs India. Also, can Kane Williamson build on his last-start 51 (26) and further improve on his average of 24 vs India?
• Ish Sodhi (2/36) moved further ahead as the highest wicket-taker in India-NZ matches (13). Mitchell Santner, who dismissed Rohit last match, is next on the list (10).
• Can Mohammed Shami improve on his poor showing in the opening match? (0/53)
• Jasprit Bumrah was the only bowler to go for under eight an over in the opening match. If the other Indian bowlers can keep it somewhat tight, NZ will have to go after Bumrah more which can mean wickets.

Also read: Check out the Top 10 Cricket Bats in the World, and get a 5% discount on any option! Find out more here.

Head-to-Head

• Matches 12, New Zealand 8, India 4.
• India’s win in the first T20I was a welcome change for them. They have had a tough time of things in T20Is in New Zealand, winning just one of five games before the last match.

Key to a New Zealand win

There was plenty to be optimistic about for New Zealand, despite their defeat last game. A key area of improvement would be to take their chances in the field, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli getting lives at a crucial stage of the chase.

Also, which opener can score at two runs a ball? A ground like this requires such scoring, and if either Colin Munro or Martin Guptill can go big early, it sets the innings up for the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Colin de Grandhomme to go big.

Key to an India win

Jasprit Bumrah is a national treasure for India. His death bowling kept the total at a par 203 given the ground dimensions, and he will be key in the powerplay and death overs again. However, this time, he needs better support from the likes of Mohammed Shami, given the all-rounders are capable of holding their own.

Also, can KL Rahul continue his excellent form? If yes, it can enable the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer to play with freedom that gives India a shot at a very large total. This is particularly important if they bat first: an area they haven’t been the best in.

Possible Playing 11

New Zealand could look to avoid any significant changes.

New Zealand: 1. Martin Guptill, 2. Colin Munro, 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Colin de Grandhomme, 5. Ross Taylor, 6. Tim Seifert (wk) 7. Mitchell Santner, 8. Ish Sodhi, 9. Tim Southee, 10. Blair Tickner, 11. Hamish Bennett

India could look at bringing in Navdeep Saini, likely for Shardul Thakur.

India: 1. Rohit Sharma, 2. KL Rahul (wk), 3. Virat Kohli (c), 4. Shreyas Iyer, 5. Manish Pandey, 6. Shivam Dube 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Yuzvendra Chahal, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Navdeep Saini, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Eden Park Auckland Pitch Report and Conditions

There was some dew in the last game, which could influence the captain’s decision at the toss. The weather is forecast to be pleasant once again (26 degrees and fine), with another belter of a pitch in store. Expect runs.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Dream11 content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:

• 6 tips to increase chances of winning in Dream11
• MyTeam11 vs Dream11: Which is better for you?
• Pros and cons of Dream11’s deadline decision

Match Prediction

Could this come down to which team chases? Given India’s excellent record chasing, as opposed to their worse record setting, it could come down to this.

Thanks for reading!

Also read: Is cricket blogging something you are looking to pursue more of in 2020? Download my free E-Book for tips!