India will take on New Zealand in the 2nd T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on January 23, 2026. India lead the series 1-0 after a dominant 48-run victory in Nagpur where Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 84 off 35 balls stole the show.
This is India’s final T20I series before the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7. The defending world champions will be looking to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the mega event.
This article provides a detailed Dream11 prediction, match details, head-to-head records, and key players for this T20I encounter.
IND vs NZ 2nd T20I Match Preview
The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur (also known as Nava Raipur International Cricket Stadium) will host this match. This is only the second T20I at this venue.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I |
| Date | 23 January 2026 (Friday) |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur |
| Series | New Zealand tour of India 2025-26 (5-match T20I series) |
| Series Status | India leads 1-0 |
T20I Series Schedule:
| Match | Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | Jan 21 | Nagpur | India won by 48 runs |
| 2nd T20I | Jan 23 | Raipur | – |
| 3rd T20I | Jan 25 | Guwahati | – |
| 4th T20I | Jan 28 | Visakhapatnam | – |
| 5th T20I | Jan 31 | Thiruvananthapuram | – |
Key Context:
- India’s final T20I assignment before T20 World Cup 2026 (starts Feb 7)
- India are defending T20 World Cup champion (won in 2024)
- India are world’s No. 1-ranked T20I team
- New Zealand is ranked 4th in T20Is
- India won the last T20I series between these teams 2-1 in 2023
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Venue | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur |
| Capacity | 65,000 (Third largest cricket stadium in India) |
| Pitch Type | Balanced – offers something for everyone |
| Average T20 Score | 160-175 (moderate scoring) |
| Surface | Made using black soil and red soil from Maharashtra |
| Pace Factor | Early swing and carry for fast bowlers with a new ball |
| Spin Factor | Spinners get grip as the match progresses |
| Boundaries | Straight: 77-81m, Square: 69-73m (Large) |
| Toss Factor | Teams batting first have a slight advantage |
The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium is known for offering a sporting wicket. Fast bowlers get swing and carry early, while spinners come into play as the pitch dries. The large boundary dimensions (up to 84m) make it comparable to The Gabba in Australia. Batters who spend time at the crease can score freely, but it requires application. The pitch was rated as “Best Pitch in Central Zone” by BCCI in 2017-18.
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 15-22°C (Pleasant winter evening) |
| Humidity | Low to Moderate |
| Wind | Light breeze |
| Dew Factor | Expected in the second innings |
| Rain Chance | Very low |
| Overall | Excellent conditions for cricket |
Raipur in January offers pleasant winter weather. Dew is expected in the second innings, which could make chasing easier.
Injury Updates
India: The Men in Blue entered the series without Tilak Varma, who underwent testicular surgery in Rajkot and was ruled out of the first three T20Is. Washington Sundar was also ruled out due to a side strain (lower rib area discomfort). Shreyas Iyer has been added as Tilak’s replacement for the first three matches, while Ravi Bishnoi replaces Washington. In the 1st T20I.
New Zealand: No injury concerns
Dream11 Team For IND vs NZ
IND vs NZ Head-to-Head Records (T20Is)
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total T20I Matches | 26 (after 1st T20I) |
| India Wins | 15 |
| New Zealand Wins | 10 |
| Tied | 1 |
| India Win % | 57.7% |
| Current Series | India leads 1-0 |
Bilateral T20I Series Record:
- Total series: 8
- India won: 5
- New Zealand won: 3
- Last series (2023): India won 2-1 at home
Last Five T20I Meetings
- India won by 48 runs, 21-Jan-2026
- India won by 168 runs 01-Feb-2023
- India won by 6 wickets (with 1 ball remaining) 29-Jan-2023
- New Zealand won by 21 runs, 27-Jan-2023
- Match tied (DLS method) 22-Nov-2022
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma (IND) | 84 (35) in 1st T20I. 8 sixes. Fastest Indian 50 vs NZ (22 balls). MUST-HAVE. |
| Glenn Phillips (NZ) | 78 (40) in 1st T20I. NZ’s best batter. 6 sixes. Can bowl off-spin too. |
| Varun Chakravarthy (IND) | World No. 1 T20I bowler. 2/37 in 1st T20I. Key in the middle overs. |
| Rinku Singh (IND) | 44 (20) in 1st T20I.* Deadly finisher. Unbeaten in the last 3 T20I innings. |
| Hardik Pandya (IND) | All-rounder – 25 runs, 1 wicket in 1st T20I. Impact player. |
| Jacob Duffy (NZ) | NZ’s best bowler – 2/27 in 4 overs. Economical. |
| Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | Captain. 32 (22) in 1st T20I. Looking to regain form before the T20 WC. |
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