Tilak's unbeaten 51 seals last-over thriller as India go 2-0 up in New Zealand
India recovered from 70 for 5 to chase down 181 with one ball to spare at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Chasing 181, India looked beaten when Mitchell Santner's 4 for 21 left them five down in the 11th over. Naman Dhir's 31 off 17 balls dragged the chase back to life before vice-captain Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy finished the job with an unbeaten 69-run stand off just 30 balls.
Tilak finished on 51 not out off 26 balls and was named Player of the Match, while Nitish made 26 not out off 13. Earlier, Glenn Phillips (70) and Bevon Jacobs (58) had lifted New Zealand to 180 for 5 after early wickets, with Arshdeep Singh taking 2 for 33.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir hailed the young match-winners afterwards, posting 'Boys becoming Men' alongside photographs of Tilak, Dhir and Nitish. India now lead the series 2-0 with three games to play.
