Chennai: A never-say-die attitude by the Kiwis in the field saw them squeeze through to a narrow one-run victory over India in the second T20 match here on Tuesday even as Indian star Yuvraj Singh made an emotional return to the game.
The visitors put up a challenging score of 167-5 for the hosts, after being put in to bat first by Indian skipper MS Dhoni.
It was down to Brendon McCullum’s 91 from just 55 balls, which also netted him the Man-of-the-Match award, that enabled New Zealand recover after losing both openers for just two runs on the board.
India would have been annoyed at letting their hold on the Kiwi innings slip, but the total was still gettable.
The match captured the attention of the Indian fans primarily as it marked Yuvraj Singh’s return to the Indian team following a lengthy absence as he recovered from cancer and he received a rousing welcome from the Chepauk spectators when he came out to bat.
The smile on his mother Shabnam Singh’s face said it all. To find her son get back to where he belongs is the greatest satisfaction for a mother and it was writ large on her face.
The southpaw made a commendable 34 from 26 balls, and he had a good partnership with Virat Kohli, who made 70.
“We couldn’t expect more from Yuvi on his return,” said Dhoni after the match.
The hosts were in a good position right from the start of their innings, but they lost their way in the middle overs thanks to Kyle Mills and James Franklin, who used their slower deliveries to good effect.
The Men in Blue needed 13 runs from the last over but only managed 11 in a dramatic finish, which saw their efforts go in vain. (PTI)