New Zealand pacer Zakary Foulkes, CSK's new-signing, endured a difficult outing in the second T20I against India in Raipur as his bowling figures paid the price in a high-octane chase. Tasked with stemming the flow during India’s pursuit of 209, Foulkes struggled to find rhythm, pace and consistency, ultimately finishing with expensive figures in a match where India’s batters dominated.
Foulkes had a tough night in Raipur
Zakary Foulkes, selected in the New Zealand playing XI for the second T20I, was hit around the park as India chased a challenging target at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. Across his three overs, he conceded 67 runs without picking up a wicket, becoming one of the most expensive bowlers in the contest as India’s batters took full advantage of loose deliveries.
India’s powerful batting put pressure
India’s chase of 209 was powered by strong performances from the top order, with Ishan Kishan smashing 76 off 32 balls and Suryakumar Yadav remaining unbeaten on 82 off 37 to guide India to victory with 28 balls to spare. The duo added 122 runs for the third wicket and kept the required rate in check from the outset.
Check Out: https://www.khelwire.com/articles/watch-surya-hits-sky-touching-supla-six-during-82-in-raipur
Foulkes was introduced into the attack during a critical phase when India were looking to attack. The visitors hoped his pace and length would offer control, but several loose deliveries allowed the Indian batters to free their arms. In one over in particular, Suryakumar Yadav punished Foulkes for 25 runs, including four fours and a six, swinging momentum decisively in India’s favour.
Lack of pace, line and length proved costly
Critics and fans noted that Foulkes appeared unable to find consistent pace and balance, often bowling short or wide of a challenging line. Without the firmness needed to trouble India’s powerful batting lineup, the young pacer became an easy target. His struggles stood out especially in comparison to other New Zealand bowlers who managed to maintain tighter lines and restrict scoring periodically.
The lack of control in his overs contributed to India racing past the required run rate early, easing pressure on later batters and removing any opportunity for a slow or methodical chase.
Match context & outcome
New Zealand batted first and posted a competitive 208 for 6, propelled by contributions from Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra, who helped the visitors cross the 200-run mark on a flat Raipur surface.
In response, India’s aggressive intent and depth ensured they achieved the 209-run target in 15.2 overs, securing a dominant seven-wicket victory and a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
What it means for Foulkes and New Zealand
For Zakary Foulkes, Raipur will be remembered as a challenging test in international conditions, where the margin for error is minimal against world-class batting. The outing highlighted areas, namely pace consistency and line discipline, that will need refinement if he is to feature regularly in this New Zealand side.
As the series moves forward, New Zealand will hope other bowling options can contain India’s batting firepower more effectively, while Foulkes looks to regroup and learn from a valuable experience at the top level as he will return to India for IPL 2026 where he will play for CSK.
