McCullum flays India as Yuvraj returns

CHENNAI: New Zealand defeated India by one run in the second Twenty20 international at the Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.

India, chasing 168, were restricted to 166-4 despite Virat Kohli's 70 off 41 balls.

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh bowled two overs, took a catch and scored 34 runs off 26 balls as the cancer survivor made a keenly-awaited return to top-class cricket.

Yuvraj, who was treated for a rare germ-cell tumour between his lungs earlier this year, went wicketless as the Black Caps piled up 167-5 after being sent in to bat at the Chidambaram stadium.

Brendon McCullum led the charge with a glorious 91 off 55 balls, smashing 11 boundaries and three sixes before he was bowled by left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan.

McCullum added 90 runs for the third wicket with Kane Williamson (28) after the Black Caps had lost openers Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill by the second over.

Skipper Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram plundered 21 runs in the last two overs to set India a challenging target under lights.

Yuvraj, who was man of the tournament in India's World Cup triumph last year, was recalled to the Twenty20 side despite not having played competitive cricket since November.

Some 25,000 home fans gave Yuvraj a standing ovation when he was called upon to bowl the seventh over of the innings by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yuvraj conceded four singles in his first over of left-arm spin and then suffered a hard knock in his bowling hand while trying to take a difficult return catch off McCullum in his second.

Having conceded 14 runs in his two overs, Yuvraj delighted his team-mates and fans as he gleefully caught a skier at cover point to dismiss James Franklin.

Pathan finished with 3-31 from his four overs and Zaheer Khan took one for 27.

The first game of the two-match series, a tune-up for next week's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, was washed out without a ball being bowled in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

The opening game of the two-match series, a tune-up for next week's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, was washed out without a ball being bowled in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. (AFP)