T20: New Zealand beat India by 5 wkts to win match and series

February 27, 2009.

New Zealand has snatched a dramatic last-ball victory in the second Twenty20 cricket match to clinch the series 2-0 against India, who very nearly pulled off an incredible win in the dying moments of the thriller.

At Wellington on Friday, chasing a modest 150 runs to win, the hosts were cruising along comfortable before the Indians changed the complexion of the game with some tidy spin bowling and Irfan Pathan's double strike in the 18th over.

Needing 12 runs off Pathan's last over, the Kiwis rode on Brendon McCullum's unbeaten 69 to scrape through to record their third consecutive victory against the world champions. The home team won the thrilling match by five wickets.

Put into bat, India's formidable batting failed to click for the second time on the trot, leaving New Zealand with a fairly simple task of scoring 7.50 runs per over.

Only Yuvraj Singh hit 50 off 34 balls and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni with 28 not out and Virender Sehwag with 24 were the other notable contributors.

Brief Scores:

India 149 for six in 20 overs (Yuvraj Singh 50, MS Dhoni 28; Iain O' Brein 2/30, I Butler 2/42).

New Zealand 150 for five in 20 overs (B McCullum 69 not out, R Taylor 27; I Pathan 2/41).

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