India vs New Zealand Prediction & Match Preview – 2nd T20I in Raipur

India return to the field in the second T20I of the five-match series with New Zealand at Raipur, having bounced back from a disappointing ODI series defeat. At Nagpur they batted first and made 238 for 7, led by Abhishek Sharma’s 84 off 35 balls with eight sixes at a strike rate of 240. Suryakumar Yadav made 32 from 22, Hardik Pandya 25 from 16 and Rinku Singh finished unbeaten on 44 from 20.

India’s bowlers completed the 48-run victory. Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dube took two wickets each, Dube bowling the final over, and Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya picked up one apiece. The one concern is Axar Patel, who injured a finger on a caught-and-bowled chance and is unlikely to play. India could bring in Harshit Rana for extra pace or Ravi Bishnoi for another spinner.

New Zealand showed fight in defeat. After early wickets Glenn Phillips struck 78 off 40, helped by Mark Chapman’s 39 off 24 and Daryl Mitchell’s 28 off 18. Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy took two wickets each, with Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner also among the wickets. The top order remains a worry, though: Devon Conway fell early again and Tim Robinson’s quick 21 was not enough. With Tim Seifert and Finn Allen due back from Big Bash duty, Robinson faces competition for his place.

Pitch report

Raipur generally provides a balanced pitch. Quicks can find bounce and movement early, so the powerplay is important for wickets. The surface slows slightly later, bringing spinners into play and rewarding batters who rotate strike and build partnerships. Dew may make the ball harder to grip in the evening and help the chasing side. Relatively large boundaries mean timing and placement matter more than raw power.

Weather

Around 7:00 pm local time on 23 January, Raipur should be clear and pleasant at roughly 22–23°C, cooling gradually through the night. Humidity is moderate and with no significant cloud or rain forecast, the match should go ahead without weather interruption.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 165–175
• 2nd innings: 155–170