India bounced back with the ball and put us under pressure: Tim Southee

New Zealand skipper Tim Southee admitted that Team India made a stupendous comeback after the powerplay in the Black Caps’ innings during the second T20I on Friday, November 19 in Ranchi. After being put in to bat first, the Kiwis got off to a flier, scoring as many as 64 runs in the first six overs.

However, the Indian bowlers restricted the visitors to 153 after conceding only 89 runs in the last 14 overs. Thereafter, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul’s 117-run stand for the opening wicket helped India win by seven wickets and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

“The Indian bowlers bounced back and put us under pressure. With the bat, India came out and played in an aggressive manner to slow the run-rate down,” Southee was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

Southee reckoned that dew played its part during both the innings. “Usually, the dew comes in the second innings, but today, dew played a factor for both sides. But we weren’t able to adapt as well as we would have liked,” he stated.

The skipper said that New Zealand needed to make early inroads into the Indian batting to put the opposition under pressure. “You try and take the game as deep as you can. We needed to take early wickets and put them under pressure,” Southee said.

Tim Southee lauds Harshal Patel

Southee also had words of praises for fast bowler Harshal Patel, who picked up the wickets of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips on his international debut.

“Harshal has been around for quite a while and he knows his game and he’s coming on the back of an outstanding IPL. So, he’s full of confidence. It was great to see him come out and carry that form,” he stated

Southee talked about New Zealand’s packed schedule, but also vowed to make a strong comeback going forward. “It’s been a hectic schedule on the back of the T20 World Cup. Hopefully, we can finish the tour on a high as it’s another chance to represent your country,” Southee added.

The third and final T20I of the series is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 21 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.