NZ vs IND 2nd T20I Match Prediction: Who Will Win at Hagley Oval?

India and New Zealand head back to the Hagley Oval on Saturday for the second T20I of their five-match series, less than 48 hours after a record-breaking opener at the same venue. India lead the series 1-0 after chasing down 226 — the highest successful run chase in their T20I history — and another win here would give Shreyas Iyer’s side serious control of the contest. For New Zealand, this is already a must-win to stop the momentum sliding away from Mitchell Santner’s side.

NZ vs IND 2nd T20I match details and schedule

Match	New Zealand vs India, 2nd T20I
Series	India tour of New Zealand 2026-27 (five T20Is)
Date	Saturday, October 24, 2026
Venue	Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Start time	12:30 PM IST (8:00 PM NZDT)
Toss	12:00 PM IST
TV broadcast (India)	Sony Sports Network
Live streaming (India)	Sony LIV
Series score	India lead 1-0

The match starts at 12:30 PM IST, with the toss at 12:00 PM IST. In India, the match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on Sony LIV, following New Zealand Cricket’s long-term India rights arrangement with Sony Pictures Networks.

India vs New Zealand series context after a famous opener

Thursday’s 1st T20I was one of the great games of the Indian tour. Asked to bat first by Iyer after India won the toss and chose to bowl, New Zealand piled up 225 for 4 — powered by Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 82 off 40 balls, Finn Allen’s 45 off 24, and useful contributions from Bevon Jacobs (31 off 16), Daryl Mitchell (28) and Tim Seifert (24). Michael Bracewell (2 for 37) and Mitchell Santner (2 for 39) were the pick of the New Zealand bowlers.

What followed was historic. India chased the target down at 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs — their highest successful T20I chase ever, bettering the 210 they made against Sri Lanka in Nagpur in 2009, and the highest T20I chase recorded at the Hagley Oval. Sanju Samson led from the front with 67 off 33 balls and was named Player of the Match, while Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 42 off 15 balls at the finish turned a tight game into a famous win. Our prediction for the 1st T20I backed India, and the full match report covers every detail of that remarkable night.

The series now moves through three more venues: the 3rd T20I in Wellington on October 27, the 4th in Auckland on October 30, and the 5th in Hamilton on November 1. A 2-0 lead on Saturday would let India approach the back half of the tour from a position of real comfort.

New Zealand vs India head-to-head record in T20Is

India hold the overall edge in this fixture: they have won 17 of the 31 T20Is played between the sides, with New Zealand winning 11 and three ending in ties. The recent trend is firmly India’s way — they have won eight of the last ten T20I meetings. New Zealand, though, remain formidable at home and will be desperate to use familiar conditions to level the series.

Hagley Oval pitch report for the 2nd T20I

The Hagley Oval is not a traditional New Zealand seaming deck, but fresh surfaces here still offer something for the quicks. Expect the new ball to move — fast bowlers can extract lateral movement, swing and bounce in the first few overs, which makes the opening powerplay a genuine examination of both teams’ openers. Once the shine wears off, the surface settles into even, true bounce that allows batters to play their strokes freely, as Thursday’s 450-plus run aggregate showed.

The other big factor is dew. Evening games at Christchurch often see dew settle late in the night, which makes the ball skid on and favours the chasing side — a point reinforced by India’s successful chase under lights two nights ago. Spin is not irrelevant either: disciplined spinners who hit a tight, nagging length can contain and take wickets through the middle overs, and both teams have quality slow bowling to call on.

Christchurch weather forecast on match day

Saturday’s outlook is clear and warm by day, easing into a cool, dry evening — exactly the conditions Thursday’s game was played in. Temperatures are expected to sit around 12-13 degrees Celsius at match time with no meaningful chance of rain, so there should be no interruptions. Captains should still factor in the dew that arrives with the evening chill.

New Zealand vs India 2nd T20I probable playing XIs

India are likelier to go unchanged after that chase. The same eleven that started on Thursday gives Iyer a settled combination and a winning momentum to protect:

• India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
• New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Matt Henry or Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Nathan Smith

India’s bench options include Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Shivam Dube if the think tank wants a different look. For New Zealand, the main selection call is between Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson for the final seam slot alongside Ferguson, Milne and Nathan Smith.

Confirmed squads for the 2nd T20I

New Zealand squad

Mitchell Santner (captain), Adam Milne, Bevon Jacobs, Blair Tickner, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway, Finn Allen (wicket-keeper), Glenn Phillips (wicket-keeper), Jacob Duffy, Josh Clarkson, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Zak Foulkes.

India squad

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Kuldeep Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prince Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Key battles that could decide the 2nd T20I

Sanju Samson vs New Zealand’s new-ball attack: Samson’s 67 off 33 was the difference on Thursday. Milne, Ferguson and Jamieson will know that removing him inside the powerplay is the single biggest wicket in the game — expect short, hard lengths early.

Glenn Phillips vs India’s death bowling: Phillips’ unbeaten 82 off 40 showed just how dangerous he is on a true surface. Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav will need their best yorkers and slower balls to keep him quiet in the final five overs.

The spin contest — Axar Patel vs Santner: Two elite left-arm spinners operating in the same match. Axar’s wicket-to-wicket control through the middle overs could be decisive if New Zealand’s middle order tries to force the pace against him, while Santner was New Zealand’s best bowler on Thursday with 2 for 39.

The toss: With dew expected, chasing has a clear advantage at the Hagley Oval. Whoever wins the toss on Saturday is very likely to bowl first, exactly as Iyer did in the opener.

NZ vs IND 2nd T20I prediction: who will win?

India look the stronger, more in-form side. Their batting depth carried them through a 226 chase — Samson at the top, Iyer and Tilak in the middle, Dhir’s finishing, and Axar’s all-round value give them options for every situation. Winning at the same venue two nights ago means they know the conditions, the dew, and the angles of the Hagley Oval better than anyone.

That said, New Zealand do not stay down for long at home. Phillips is in supreme touch, Allen is always one innings away from something special, and their pace attack — Ferguson, Milne, Jamieson or Henry — will fancy their chances with the new ball under lights. Expect a tighter game than the opener, and expect New Zealand to target India’s powerplay bowling after conceding 230 last time.

Prediction: India to win the 2nd T20I and take a 2-0 series lead. The chasing advantage with dew, the settled XI, and the confidence of Thursday’s record chase all point one way — but if New Zealand bat first and post something similar to 225 again, this one could go down to the final over.

NZ vs IND 2nd T20I FAQs

When does the NZ vs IND 2nd T20I start?

The match starts at 12:30 PM IST on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The toss is at 12:00 PM IST.

Where can I watch the NZ vs IND 2nd T20I in India?

The match will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on Sony LIV.

Who is leading the series?

India lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the 1st T20I by four wickets at the Hagley Oval.

What happened in the 1st T20I?

India won the toss and bowled. New Zealand made 225 for 4 (Glenn Phillips 82* off 40), and India chased it down at 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs (Sanju Samson 67 off 33, Player of the Match) — India’s highest successful T20I chase.

Where is the 3rd T20I?

The series moves to Wellington for the 3rd T20I on October 27, followed by Auckland (October 30) and Hamilton (November 1).