RAJKOT: Opener Colin Munro hit a blazing century to power New Zealand to post 196 for two against India in their must-win second Twenty20 International in Rajkot on Saturday.

Munro, who hit an unbeaten 58-ball 109, put on 105 runs for the opening wicket with Martin Guptill (45), to lay a solid foundation after the Kiwis elected to bat first.

Guptill hit Yuzvendra Chahal for two sixes and a four in the leg-spinner’s first over to make his intent clear at the batting-friendly Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Chahal finally got his revenge after denying Guptill, who smashed 3 fours and 3 sixes in his 41-ball knock, a fifty but the damage had already been done.

Munro made the most of his two reprieves, on 45 and 79, to register his second T20 ton — in just 54 balls — and pulverise the Indian bowling attack.

Debutant paceman Mohammed Siraj gave away 53 runs in four overs but got his maiden international wicket in skipper Kane Williamson for 12.

The left-handed Munro, who hit 7 fours and 7 sixes, and Tom Bruce, who scored 18, signed off with a 56-run unbeaten stand for the third wicket.

The Kiwis are looking to draw level the three-match series after losing the opener in Delhi on Wednesday.

The visitors, who trail in the three-match series 1-0, made two changes to the side beaten by 53 runs in the opening game.

Paceman Adam Milne and wicket-keeper/batsman Glenn Phillips make the XI in place of Tim Southee and Tom Latham.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

M.J. Guptill Pandya b Chahal 45

C. Munro not out 109

K.S. Williamson c Sharma b Siraj 12

T.C. Bruce not out 18

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-10) 12

TOTAL (for two wkts, 20 overs) 196

FALL OF WKTS: 1-105, 2-140.

DID NOT BAT: H.M. Nicholls,

G.D. Phillips, C. de Grandhomme, M.J. Santner, I.S. Sodhi, A.F. Milne, T.A. Boult.

BOWLING: Kumar 4-0-29-0 (2w); Mohammed Siraj 4-0-53-1 (1w); Bumrah 4-0-23-0; Chahal 4-0-36-1 (2w); Patel 3-0-39-0 (1w); Pandya 1-0-14-0.

INDIA: S. Dhawan, R.G. Sharma,

V. Kohli, S.S. Iyer, M.S. Dhoni,

H.H. Pandya, A.R. Patel, B. Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Y.S. Chahal,

J.J. Bumrah.

UMPIRES: A.K. Chaudhary (India) and C.K. Nandan (India).

TV UMPIRE: C. Shamshuddin (India).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2017