Highlights
- This is New Zealand's highest even T20I score
- The Kiwis clinch the series by a margin by 2-0
- Mitchell Santner was leading New Zealand in this particular match
The kiwis have continued their dominant run as they registered their highest ever T20I score against hosts Scotland. In the second T20I match against Scotland, New Zealand scored 254 odd runs and inflicted a heavy defeat of 102 runs. With this thumping victory on the hosts, New Zealand has now clinched the two-match T20I series by 2-0. The Santner-led side displayed dominance as they went on to score their highest ever T20I score. The Kiwis breached this landmark courtesy of Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell's half-centuries. The visitors proved themselves equally good with the ball as they restricted Scotland to a meager 152 runs.
On Friday, Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first. New Zealand had their hopes highly pinned on Finn Allen, centurion of the last match, but he could not replicate his dominant batting display and was dismissed in the third over while he was batting on six runs. To New Zealand's disappointment, Dane Cleaver also departed without making any such notable contributions. Cleaver scored 16 off 28 deliveries. The Kiwi side lost both their openers while they had only sixty on the scoreboard. Coming to New Zealand's rescue, Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell stitched a partnership of 62 runs off 33 balls.
In the 11th over Daryl Mitchell fell prey to Hamza Tahir, but Chapman kept on going as he scored 50* off 27 deliveries. In the next 17 balls, Chapman added 33 runs more to his tally. With this, Mark Chapman ended up with his career-best score of 83 which he scored in 44 deliveries. Chapman struck 5 fours and 7 sixes as he briskly scored with a strike rate of 188.64. When Chapman was dismissed, New Zealand already had scored 175 runs at the loss of 4 wickets. Following up with Chapman's exploits, Neesham too scored a brisk 28 off 12 deliveries. Michael Bracewell and Jimmy Neesham stitched a partnership of 79 runs off 29 balls which propelled the New Zealand innings. In the process, Michael Bracewell struck his maiden T20I fifty just in 22 balls.
The Scottish side was already under the pump as they had to chase 255 runs. They crumbled under pressure and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The hosts looked extremely uncomfortable against New Zealand's spin bowling. The trio of Bracewell, Santner, and Sodhi scalped 3 wickets whereas Michael Rippon and James Neesham claimed 2 wickets each. Scotland somehow managed to bat for the entire 20 overs but lost the match by a margin of 102 runs.
