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Patna : New Zealand (NZ) beat Australia by 4 runs in a very close contest in the 2nd T20I at University Oval, Dunedin, NZ, on February 25, 2021, to take a 2-0 lead in five-match T20I series as opener Martin Guptill scored a blistering 97 in 50 balls with 6 fours and 8 sixes while captain Kane Williamson scored 53 in 35 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes. All-rounder James Neesham, 30, scored a brilliant 16 balls unbeaten 45 hitting 6 sixes. Chasing a target of 220 runs, Australia could score only 215/8 in 20 overs as spinner Mitchell Santner took 4/31 in 4 overs.
Guptill was named Player Of The Match. If Devon Conway (99 not out) was NZ hero in the 1st T20I , Guptill was hero of the 2nd T20I with his explosive knock. Australia had won the toss but opted to bowl.
Australia required 15 runs in the last over but could score only 10 runs in that over losing the wickets of Marcus Stoinis (78 in 38 balls with 7 fours and 5 sixes) and Daniel Sams ( 41 in 15 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes).
Batting first, NZ scored 219/7 in 20 overs even as they lost the wicket of opener Tim Seifert (wk) with only 20 runs on board. Seifert fell to Kane Richardson for 3. But, Guptill and Williamson then added 131 runs for the 2nd wicket. Williamson and James Neesham added 22 runs for 3rd wicket.
Williamson fell to spinner Adam Zampa for 53 making it 173/3. Glenn Phillips fell to fast bowler Jhye Richardson for 8 and it was 190/4. Devon Conway fell to Kane Richardson for 2 making it 198/5. Spinner Mitchell Santner fell to Kane Richardson for zero making it 199/6. Medium fast bowler Tim Southee was run out for 6 and it was 213/7. James Neesham remained unbeaten on 45 in 16 balls hitting 1 four and 6 sixes. Kane Richardson took 3/43 in 4 overs.
Chasing a target of 220 runs, Australia lost their first wicket that of opener Matthew Wade at 34. Wade fell to Tim Southee for 24 in 15 balls with 3 fours and 1 six. Captain Aaron Finch fell to spinner Ish Sodhi for 12 continuing his poor form making it 70/2. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell fell to spinner Mitchell Santner for 3 making it 87/3. Josh Phippe fell to Santner for 45 in 32 balls hitting 2 fours and 3 sixes and it was 112/4. Spinner Ashton Agar fell to Santner for zero making it 113/5. All-rouner Mitchell Marsh also fell to Santner for zero and it was 113/6.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams then added 92 runs for the 7th wicket in a rescue act. Sams, however, fell to medium fast bowler James Neesham for 41 on the first ball of 20th overs and it was 205/7. Stoinis also fell Neesham for 78 on the 5th balls of the over and it 211/8 with Australia requiring 9 runs on last ball. Jhye Richardson scored a 4 on the last ball.