Christchurch [New Zealand], October 24 (ANI): Following India's thrilling win over New Zealand in the second T20I, Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer hailed Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy for showing "immense character", while also lauding Naman Dhir, who started the turnaround for Team India after a collapse during the middle overs.
Chasing 181 runs, the game seemed gone for India as they collapsed from 40/0 to 70/5 in the 10.5 overs. However, it was Naman's crucial cameo of 17-ball 31 (with a four and three sixes) that fuelled India's belief and gave some momentum to Tilak (51* in 26 balls, with six fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (26* in 13 balls, with a four and a six), sealing a win with a ball left and four wickets in hand.
Speaking during the post-match presentation after India grabbed the win from the jaws of defeat, Iyer said, "I feel that every individual in our game is a match winner, and today we saw the example of that. Like, honestly speaking, when we lost wickets, consecutive wickets especially, we thought that the game was going away from us. But Tilak and Reddy, they showed immense character, and also a great cameo by Naman Dhir."
Speaking on Naman, who has been lighting up Team India with crucial cameos and wickets with the ball, Shreyas called him a "phenomenal bowler" and someone who is a "comprehensive player".
"We saw him in a couple of games back home against West Indies. He is a phenomenal bowler as well, and once you get both the parts covered in terms of batting and bowling, I think he brings in a lot of character, and also when you see him move around in the field, he basically, he is a comprehensive player," he said.
During the match, Naman also bowled an over, conceding just seven runs.
Iyer hailed Kiwi spinners Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell for posing a tough challenge, acknowledging the problem of too many dot balls being played by India in the start.
"I think we played a lot of dot balls initially, and that basically piled up the run rate as well, and also when we went in, we wanted to actually cruise, but they bowled amazing, especially Bracewell and Santner, the way they controlled the game in the middle," said the skipper.
"It was not easy to strike the ball, but I think if we would have picked up the gaps and tried to find boundaries, we could have easily cruised. But unfortunate. You know, it happens. Just another day, and I am sure that we will bounce back pretty strong.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and elected to bowl first. They had New Zealand down 41/3 within the powerplay. Glenn Phillips (70 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and sixes each) and Bevon Jacobs (58 in 46 balls, with five fours and a six) led New Zealand's recovery after an early top-order collapse against India after Kiwis were down 41/3 within powerplay, stitching a 116-run stand for fourth wicket, taking NZ to 180/5 in 20 overs.
Besides Arshdeep's 2/33, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy got a wicket each.
While chasing 181 set by New Zealand, the world champions collapsed from 40/0 to 112/6, with Mitchell Santner's four-fer causing havoc in the middle overs. The hope was reinstated by a quickfire 31 in 17 balls (with a four and three sixes) by Naman Dhir, and it was Tilak (51* in 26 balls, with six fours and a six) and Nitish (26* in 13 balls, with a four and a six) who took India to victory with a ball left. India is 2-0 up in the five-match series. (ANI)
"Every individual a match winner": Skipper Iyer priases team after India beat New Zealand in 2nd T20I
