Representative image. Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
A second win would give India a 2-0 lead in a five-match series. Kishan's injury forces a change to a batting order India have been reshuffling, and the bowling has given away more than 200 runs in four straight games.
India go into the IND vs NZ 2nd T20I on Saturday, 24 October 2026, without Ishan Kishan, who has been ruled out with a low-grade strain of the right adductor, the inner-thigh muscle near the groin. The match starts at 12.30 pm IST at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, two days after India chased 226 at the same ground for their highest successful run chase in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
How India chased 226 in the first T20I
New Zealand batted first on 22 October and made 225 for 4. Glenn Phillips top-scored with an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls. Business Standard reported that the total was New Zealand’s highest in T20Is at home and their joint-highest against India in the format.
India’s openers took the game away early. Sanju Samson hit 67 off 33 balls with eight fours and four sixes, and Abhishek Sharma made 29 off 12, as the pair put on 93 in 35 balls. That is close to 16 runs an over at a time when India needed a little over 11 an over to win.
The chase then wobbled. Tilak Varma, moved up to No. 3, and Kishan, dropped to No. 5, neither made a big score, and India lost quick wickets in the middle overs. Short innings from Axar Patel and captain Shreyas Iyer (42) kept the chase alive, and Naman Dhir finished the job with 42 not out off 15 balls. India reached 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs to win by four wickets with two balls to spare.
Ishan Kishan injury: who could open for India
Kishan picked up the strain during the series opener, and the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is monitoring him, the Times of India reported. Reuters and ESPNcricinfo also reported that he would miss Saturday’s match.
His absence reopens the question of the top order. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, has been out of the side since the Asian Games and is the most talked-about option. Business Standard’s probable line-up has him opening with Abhishek, with Samson at No. 3.
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak did not confirm anything on the eve of the match. He said social media was speculating about three openers and that “people want to play their own 11. It doesn’t work like that,” according to the Times of India. He praised the current pair, calling Samson “outstanding” and “a power-packed player”.
Samson, asked about his form after the first match, said he does not play to prove anyone wrong and tries to trust his process. He said India have tried to “kill the game in the powerplay”, the first six overs when fielding limits apply, whenever they get a fast start, an approach he said the team has followed since winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Where New Zealand need to improve at Hagley Oval
New Zealand’s problems were with the ball and in the field. Phillips said the hosts needed more wickets in the middle overs and more dot balls, the deliveries that yield no run, to put India under pressure. “We’ve got all our plans on the drawing board, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to execute them,” he told reporters, as quoted by Business Standard.
He also gave India credit, saying the visitors had adjusted well to the extra bounce and the bigger boundaries. Asked about dropped catches, Phillips said only genuine chances should be counted as drops.
India’s bowlers have their own worry. The first T20I was the fourth completed match in a row in which India conceded more than 200 runs, Business Standard noted. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, back in the T20I side after four years as NewsPlainly reported before the opener, Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav are in the probable attack.
IND vs NZ 2nd T20I: time, venue and where to watch
- Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026
- Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch, the same ground as the first match
- Toss: 12 noon IST; first ball: 12.30 pm IST
- On TV: Sony Sports Network; streaming: SonyLIV app and website
- Series: five T20Is, India lead 1-0
Business Standard puts the head-to-head record at 32 T20Is, with India winning 20, New Zealand 11 and one match tied. Iyer leads India; Mitchell Santner captains New Zealand.
The fixtures and toss time are also listed on the BCCI website. Three more matches follow after Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I start?
The toss is at 12 noon IST and the match starts at 12.30 pm IST on Saturday, 24 October 2026, at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Why is Ishan Kishan not playing?
He has a low-grade strain of the right adductor, an inner-thigh muscle, picked up in the first T20I. The BCCI medical team is monitoring him.
Where can I watch India vs New Zealand in India?
On Sony Sports Network on TV and on the SonyLIV app and website.
Who won the first T20I?
India, by four wickets, chasing 226 with two balls left after New Zealand made 225 for 4.