New Zealand beat Ireland in 2nd T20I: Key stats
New Zealand hammered Ireland in the second T20I on Wednesday to seal the three-match series. The third encounter will be played on Friday. New Zealand posted a challenging 179/4 in 20 overs. Dane Cleaver scored a sparkling 55-ball 78* for the Kiwis. In response, Michael Bracewell and Ish Sodhi claimed three wickets each to bowl Ireland out for a paltry 91.
New Zealand steal Ireland's thunder
New Zealand added key stands throughout the match to post a significant score on the board. Besides Cleaver, Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips added crucial runs. Joshua Little claimed two wickets for the Irish. With the ball, NZ did a commendable job. Sodhi (3/21) was at his best. Bracewell ended the show with a hat-trick (3/5).
Key numbers for the Kiwi batters
Phillips scored a 16-ball 23 for the Kiwis. The middle-order batter has raced to 737 runs at 28.34. Playing his 8th T20I, Allen managed a crucial 20-ball 35. His knock was laced with four fours and two sixes. Allen has 192 runs at 24.00. Cleaver struck 78*, hitting five fours and four sixes. This was his maiden T20I fifty.
Sodhi and Bracewell register these feats
Ish Sodhi has raced to 87 T20I scalps at 21.62. He has surpassed the likes of Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal (85 wickets each). He has also equaled Musatfizur Rahman's wickets tally (87). Bracewell has become the third Kiwi bowler to take a hat-trick in men's T20Is after Jacob Oram and Tim Southee. He also claimed a hat-trick on his bowling debut in T20Is.
NZ post these records after dismissing Ireland for 91
Ireland posted the lowest T20I score versus the Kiwis. Their previous lowest score was 115 in 2009. They are the sixth nation to be dismissed below 100 by the Kiwis. This was the ninth instance in which the Kiwis bowled an opposition side out for less than 100 runs.
