IND vs NZ Playing 11 Today, Live Streaming, Pitch & Weather: New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I, 2026

IND vs NZ Playing 11 Today, Live Streaming, Pitch & Weather: New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I, 2026

India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I: Match Preview, Prediction, Pitch Report and Playing XI

India and New Zealand meet in the second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday, October 24, with the visitors holding a 1-0 advantage in the five-match series. India arrive with confidence after pulling off a remarkable chase in the opening game, while New Zealand will be eager to respond after failing to defend a formidable total.

The first match delivered a clear warning about the scoring potential of both teams. New Zealand made 225/4, but India reached 226 with two balls to spare, recording their highest successful chase in men’s T20I cricket. The result sets up an intriguing second contest: India will want to keep their batting momentum rolling, while both sides have plenty to address with the ball.

IND vs NZ 2nd T20I: Match Details

Match: India vs New Zealand, second T20I of the five-match series
Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Date: Saturday, October 24
Start time: 12:30 PM IST
Toss: 12:00 PM IST
Live telecast in India: Sony Sports Network
Live streaming in India: SonyLIV app and website

First T20I Recap: India’s Record Chase Sets the Tone

India’s chase was powered by a blistering start from Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Samson struck 67 from 33 balls, while Abhishek scored 29 from just 12 deliveries. Their opening stand of 93 came in only 35 balls, giving India a strong platform in a match where the required rate was high from the outset.

New Zealand briefly revived their chances by taking quick wickets. Captain Shreyas Iyer responded with a composed 42, before Naman Dhir finished the job with an unbeaten 42 from 15 balls. His late assault proved decisive, underlining India’s depth and ability to find boundaries even when the chase becomes tense.

For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips was the standout batter, finishing unbeaten on 82 from 40 balls. Finn Allen’s 45 from 24 and Bevon Jacobs’ 31 from 16 helped the hosts build a challenging total. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner claimed two wickets apiece, but New Zealand’s pace attack could not slow India’s charge—particularly during a powerplay in which the visitors scored 94 runs.

What India and New Zealand Need to Improve

India’s bowling remains a concern

India’s batting has been a major strength, but their first-innings performance with the ball will need attention. The team conceded 225/4 in the series opener and has now allowed opponents to pass 200 in four consecutive completed T20Is. Axar Patel took a wicket but gave up 51 runs, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar went wicketless and conceded 49.

India’s challenge is not simply to take wickets; it is to control the scoring rate through the middle and at the death. Better execution of yorkers, changes of pace and fielding plans could make a substantial difference on a ground where the ball often comes onto the bat nicely.

New Zealand must find a powerplay response

New Zealand’s total was strong, but their bowlers gave India too much freedom early in the chase. The hosts will need to tighten their lines, protect the boundary and create pressure before the Indian top order settles. With Hagley Oval offering pace and bounce, disciplined seam bowling could be more effective than relying solely on defensive fields.

Hagley Oval Pitch Report

Hagley Oval is generally a good venue for stroke-makers, with reliable bounce and enough pace for batters to play through the line. Fast bowlers can also find assistance, especially early in an innings, when movement off the surface or through the air may reward accurate bowling.

The average first-innings score in men’s T20Is at the ground is around 162, although the opening match of this series showed that totals can rise much higher when batters get set. England’s 236/4 is the venue’s highest team total, while India’s successful chase of 230/6 highlights the possibility of chasing a big target here. With teams having won slightly more often while bowling first, the toss-winning captain may consider asking the opposition to bat.

Hagley Oval T20I snapshot: 20 matches have been played, with nine wins for teams batting first and 11 for teams bowling first. The average second-innings score is 134. Pakistan’s 134/8 is listed as the lowest score successfully defended, while Devon Conway’s 99 not out is the leading individual batting performance in a T20I at the venue.

Christchurch Weather Forecast

The forecast for Saturday is mostly sunny and dry, with daytime temperatures expected to reach about 21°C before falling to approximately 13–14°C in the evening. Winds of around 13–15 km/h could offer some assistance to seamers, and cooler conditions under lights may help the ball move early in an innings. There is no significant rain threat at present, so a full match is expected.

Team News and Predicted Playing XIs

India are monitoring a player who suffered a low-grade strain in his right adductor during the first T20I. The BCCI medical team is assessing his recovery, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been mentioned as a possible replacement. India have yet to confirm their final XI, so team news should be checked closer to the toss.

New Zealand are expected to rely on their established core, led by Mitchell Santner. The hosts will be looking for a more effective bowling display while retaining the aggressive batting approach that helped them post 225 in the opener.

Predicted New Zealand XI

Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson.

Predicted India XI

Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav.

Key Player Battles to Watch

Finn Allen vs Arshdeep Singh: Allen made a rapid 45 in the first T20I and will again look to attack in the powerplay. He has scored 69 runs from 33 balls against Arshdeep in T20 cricket, making this an important contest for India’s early bowling plans.

Sanju Samson vs Mitchell Santner: Samson’s 67 set up India’s chase, but Santner has previously kept the Indian batter in check, conceding 21 runs from 23 deliveries while dismissing him twice. New Zealand may look to bring Santner into the attack when Samson is at the crease.

Daryl Mitchell vs Axar Patel: Mitchell is a key link in New Zealand’s middle order. Axar has dismissed him twice in 22 deliveries, conceding 29 runs, and could be a valuable matchup if the hosts need to rebuild or accelerate.

IND vs NZ 2nd T20I Prediction

India have the advantage after their record chase and have won four of their last five T20I meetings with New Zealand. Their top order looks in strong touch, and the first match showed that the middle order can finish a demanding chase. However, India’s bowling remains a vulnerability, while New Zealand have the batting power to post another imposing score.

The match prediction points towards another closely contested, potentially high-scoring game. India may start as slight favourites because of their 1-0 lead and recent head-to-head record, but New Zealand’s home conditions and explosive batting make them dangerous. The team that controls the powerplay—both with bat and ball—could hold the decisive edge.

Players to Watch

New Zealand: Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen and Daryl Mitchell
India: Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel

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