IND vs NZ

So that will be all from our end. The rubber band was stretched and an elastic contest turned plastic and reached its fracture point - go figure out some pre-university physics if you're wondering what this reference is about. We're off to catch a breather and we hope you have a fabulous week ahead. Do stay tuned to Sportskeeda for further cricketing news and action from around the globe while also ensuring to return on Wednesday, February 1, for our coverage of the series decider. For the moment though, this is the duo of Pratyush Rohra and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us - good night!

A topsy-turvy contest and in the end, India somehow hold on. The Kiwis can take a lot of positives out of this though heading into the last contest in Ahmedabad with everything to play for as far as this series is concerned. Both teams will take positives out of this contest of course, and we're set up for what should be a cracker come Wednesday!

Suryakumar Yadav is the Player of the Match. Here is what he has to say: You can maybe see it was a different version of SKY. (chuckles) Adapting to the situation was very important. After losing Washy, someone had to be there. (The runout) It was definitely my mistake. I went for the run but didn't see where the ball was. I agree with this. (Pitch) It was a challenging wicket. We didn't think it would turn this way. But as I said, you have to keep adapting to the situations whether you're batting first or bowling first. (Plans in the final over) We needed just one hit in that over. We were calming each other down. I was talking to him (Hardik), and vice versa to get through the situation. He came to me and told me, "you're going to finish it on this ball", and that gave me a lot of confidence.

Hardik Pandya (India captain): (Nervy moments?) Not really. I always believed we would be able to finish the game but it went quite late. That's why I was inside to make sure that the guys inside are calm. You don't need to panic, it was about rotating the strike rather than taking pressure. But to be honest, it was a shocker of a wicket. I am all for slow wickets but these two wickets (here and Ranchi) are not good for T20s. They should make sure they prepare it and keep it ready. Other than that I am happy. The way the game went even 120 would have been a winning total. But the bowlers stuck to their plans, we kept taking wickets. When Washi bowled it was a clear sign that the wicket will assist the spinners. Eventually they played a lot of dot balls and had to take risks and we got a couple of wickets. Dew did not play much of a role because if you see they were able to spin the ball more than us. Even the fast-bowler's deliveries were flying. It wasn't a slow turner. We were just playing the ball to see which was the best position we can get into to play.

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand captain): It was a great game of cricket. To get it so close, in the end, was a great effort by the bowlers. We could have won it if we had 10-15 runs more but the calmness of Surya and Hardik was very good to get them through. (Bowling options) I was looking for spinners everywhere, even asking Lockie if he can bowl some off-spin. We bowled 16 overs or so of spin, that is definitely something different. (Batting approach) It's a tricky one. With the bounce out there, it seemed quite challenging. You're not too sure what a good score is at one stage. We were looking at 140-160 at the start but even 120 would have been a good score. We have to make those adjustments in time.

It was a real struggle for Ishan Kishan today and he just couldn't get going. Twitterati wasn't kind to him and they had their say on his painstaking stay in the middle!👇

Washington Sundar: We were all on our toes and I'm sure everyone watching at home and in the stands was doing the same, hoping India gets over the line. (Low-scoring thrillers) It's very very exciting. 2-3 games like this out of 10 games are amazing. It's all about the skill and it's exciting that we went on to win this game. (Runout) Not at all. It was very important for him (SKY) to stay until the end. Things like that happen in the game, so yeah. 

Match summary: India prevail by 6 wickets to level the series 1-1.

Suryakumar Yadav 26* (31) | Arshdeep Singh 2/7 (2)
Mitchell Santner 19* (23) | Michael Bracewell 1/13 (4)

Who'd have thunk, eh? A slow turner for an aggregate of 200 runs and we've nearly seen a full course of 40 overs. That was quite a bizarre game if there ever was one but the Men in Blue have managed to keep the series relevant. Only just though!

On a pitch where the ball gripped and turned and zoomed and spat like a cobra, even a chase of 100 was difficult for the Indians. Mitchell Santner deployed 17 straight overs of spin after the opening over from Jacob Duffy and that was a successful ploy in stretching this game until the very end. Ishan Kishan was tied up in knots again as he failed to get going and consumed far too many dots. Shubman Gill was looking good but once again, pulled a short one into the hands of the fielder to squander an opportunity.

Even as Kishan struggled, Rahul Tripathi was looking fluent and the hosts weren't looking to do anything silly. They looked to nudge it around and do it without trying anything untoward. Yet, the Indian batters just didn't look the part out there with a certain Suryakumar Yadav also struggling. Mind you, had a couple of wretched deliveries not been put away in the powerplay, the equation might have been a lot tighter, even if it is in hindsight.

The nerves told on the batters too with harakiri ensuing between Suryakumar and Washington Sundar, resulting in the latter stranded high and dry. Hardik Pandya was happy to take it deep himself and somehow, the game went into the very last over. So much so, that Lockie Ferguson and Blair Tickner weren't introduced until the 19th and even as they gave it all with a couple of close moments in the last over that could have gone either way, India somehow held their nerve on a track that is bound to receive a lot of flak. It certainly wasn't a good T20 wicket and it was a rather overstretched contest. In the end though, from the point of view of the series, it remains alive and kicking ahead of the decider in Ahmedabad. Stay tuned to hear from the captains...

Just over mid-off and that'll do! Suryakumar and Hardik burst into laughter - that was quite a chase alright. And quite gobsmacking at that! India hold on by 6 wickets and square the series with a game to spare!

19.5 Blair Tickner to Suryakumar Yadav, SKY GOES UP AND OVER! INDIA CLINCH A THRILLER! Another short delivery outside the off-stump but it was the slower one, which allows Surya enough time to get in position to flat-bat this over mid-off. All smiles at end the of a difficult outing for the vice-captain. India win by 6 wickets with a ball to spare and force a decider in this series!

19.4 Blair Tickner to Hardik Pandya, direct hit would have been curtains! At the back of a length outside the off-stump and Hardik hacks it straight to mid-on before rushing across to the other end. The Indian captain had given up there. Tension around the ground now with many wondering, how has it come to this?

Oh that's a big moment! So many ramifications there - SKY remains not out, India get a run and the Indian captain is back on strike. 4 needed off 3...

19.3 Blair Tickner to Suryakumar Yadav, DROPPED! On the good length outside the off-stump line and Surya smashes it right back to the bowler. Tickner got both hands to it but he couldn't react quickly enough to ever be in a catching position as the ball bounced out to allow a single

19.2 Blair Tickner to Suryakumar Yadav, DOT BALL! Bangs it in at the back of a length outside off. Surya wanted to go for the cheeky scythe behind point but he's beaten by the extra bounce, no run

19.1 Blair Tickner to Hardik Pandya, short and wide but Hardik can't make it count. Threw his bat at it and slashed a thick outside edge down to third man