Virat Kohli becomes 2nd highest T20I run-scorer in India vs New Zealand 2nd T20

Virat Kohli’s 18th T20 international half century and second against New Zealand came off 32 balls and was laced with six boundaries and one six. Kohli has now surpassed Tillakaratne Dilshan (1889) to become the second highest run-scorer in T20I cricket.

Virat Kohli scored a fighting half-century for India, chasing New Zealand’s 196/2 in the second T20 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday. (India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20 - HIGHLIGHTS)

Virat Kohli plays a shot during the second India vs New Zealand T20 international in Rajkot. (AFP)

His 18th T20 half century and second against New Zealand came off 32 balls and was laced with six boundaries and one six. He ultimately ended on 65 as India lost the match by 40 runs. (India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20 - SCORECARD)

Kohli has now surpassed Tillakaratne Dilshan (1889) to become the second highest run-scorer in T20I cricket. Brendon McCullum is the top T20I run-scorer with a tally of 2140.

Kohli walked in to bat with India struggling at 11 for two with last match’s start performers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma sent back to the pavilion by Trent Boult. But Kolhi alongwith Shreyas Iyer (23) stitched a 40-ball 54 run partnership to keep India in hunt.

Iyer didn’t get to bat on in the first T20 of the series in New Delhi. But he made an instant impact when the opportunity came his way. He started with a boundary off Colin de Grandhomme, took 14 of that over third over. Then his another boundary in the next over bowled by of Trent Boult but while he was looking good, he played a lose shot to be caught and bowled by Colin Munro. Hardik Pandya (1) too returned to the pavilion soon after as he failed to read a Ish Sodhi googly and was clean bowled.