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McCullum smashed his way to a 55-ball 91
India came tantalisingly close before suffering an agonising a one-run defeat against New Zealand in the second and final Twenty20 cricket International at MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.
The win helped the visitors pocket the two-match series 1-0, the first match of the series at Visakhapatnam on Saturday being a wash out.
Brendon McCullum smashed his way to a 55-ball 91 as New Zealand recovered from a jittery start to post a respectable 167 for five before restricting the home team to 166 for four.
McCullum hit as many as 11 boundaries and three huge sixes including a couple off Ravichandran Ashwin. The foundation of the New Zealand innings was 90-run third wicket partnership between McCullum and Kane Williamson, who contributed 28.
More than the runs he scored, Williamson gave McCullum freedom to play his natural and aggressive game, something that eventually ensured the result went in the visitor's favour.
Kohli again made a significant contribution
A brilliant 70 by Virat Kohli helped India stay in contention till the very end.
Kohli, who opened the batting, led the charge yet again with an innings that included 10 hits to the fence and one over it.
However, in the final analysis it didn't matter as India finished the losing side.
It was New Zealand's fourth win over India in the T20 internationals, the latter are yet to beat the Black Caps in the format.
Raina made an useful contribution
In the absence of Virender Sehwag Kohli and Gautam Gambhir (3) opened the batting for India. However, the latter went cheap, giving a return catch to Kyle Mills.
Suresh Raina provided Kohli with the required support and the two put on 60 runs for the second wicket (in just over seven overs).
Mills returned to have Raina caught by Ross Taylor at short cover.
Raina, who was dropped on 10 by Milne (off Oram), managed 27, his 22-ball knock inclusive of a couple of boundaries and a six.
Yuvraj's comeback was cut short
In came Yuvraj Singh to a thunderous applause.
The left-hander first put on 34 runs for the third wicket for Kohli and then combined with his skipper to accumulate 42 runs for the fourth wicket.
In his comeback match Yuvraj made a valuable 34, his 26-ball knock inclusive of a a boundary and a couple of sixes.
However, he lost his wicket at a crucial juncture, with Franklin cleaning him up with just two balls left.
Rohit Sharma took four off the remaining balls but the home team needed six.
McCullum survived the collision, Mills didn't
The 12th over of the Indian innings, bowled by Milne, witnessed two New Zealand players colliding with each other.
McCullum and Mills, while attempting to catch Yuvraj, ran into each other.
While the wicket-keeper recovered, Mills had to be stretchered off. Mills had been impressive, taking two for 17 in three overs. However, he didn't return to bowl his fourth.
However, New Zealand's experienced T20 bowling duo of Jacob Oram and James Franklin used the slower ball to good effect to build the pressure on the Indian batsmen.
It was Franklin who bowled well disguised slower delivery to clean up Yuvraj. With six required from last two deliveries, Rohit Sharma could only manage four with couple of doubles. Franklin took a bow and Indian dressing room were stunned in disbelief as to how they managed to lose this match from a winning position.
Irfan Pathan had figures of three for 31
Earlier, put into bat, New Zealand started on a disastrous note as they lost both their openers Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill within the first two overs.
Nicol was bowled off the last delivery of the first over from Zaheer Khan as he shuffled across towards off-stump only to miss a fuller delivery that pegged his leg stump back. He couldn't open his account.
Irfan also delivered in his very first over as his trademark inswinger saw Guptill being castled after playing to a wrong line after scoring only one.
Irfan palpably was most the successful Indian bowler with figures of three for 31 including the prize scalp of McCullum, who was looking good for his second T20 International century.
Pathan foxed him with slower delivery that he failed to connect and it hit the stumps after brushing his pads.
However, in the end it was disappointment for India. The men in Blue are yet to beat the Black Caps in the game's shortest format.