New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner outfoxed his counterpart Shreyas Iyer in the 2nd T20I at Hagley Oval.

Santner’s reaction made the dismissal particularly memorable.

Mitchell Santner produced a moment of quality spin bowling during the second T20I between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval, dismissing Shreyas Iyer with a beautifully flighted delivery. The New Zealand captain celebrated enthusiastically after beating the Indian batter in the air and sending his stumps tumbling.

Iyer’s dismissal came at a crucial stage of the innings, with Santner using drift, flight and a subtle change of pace to outsmart the right-hander. The wicket highlighted the left-arm spinner’s ability to create opportunities through control and deception rather than relying purely on turn.

Mitchell Santner outfoxes Shreyas Iyer with flight and drift

The key moment arrived on the third ball of the 10th over when Santner bowled to Iyer from around the wicket. The spinner slowed the delivery to approximately 80 kmph, inviting the batter to attack across the line.

Iyer attempted to play a powerful slog but was unable to connect with the ball. Santner’s delivery drifted sharply into the batter before passing the inside edge and crashing into the stumps.

The dismissal was a result of clever bowling. Santner altered his pace and trajectory, forcing Iyer to commit to an attacking stroke before the ball reached him. The flight deceived the batter, while the movement through the air made the shot difficult to execute.

Relive the moment here:

🚨 Shreyas Iyer is BOWLED, Mitchell Santner gets the breakthrough#INDvsNZOnSonyLIV pic.twitter.com/J7gJsSpOuf

— सिकंदर 🚬 (@_Sikandar_100) October 24, 2026

SHREYAS IYER GONE FOR 7(11) pic.twitter.com/or1XuA7aoe

— CricDiaries (@abhi_9874) October 24, 2026

Iyer’s stay at the crease ended after he scored seven runs from 11 deliveries. The Indian skipper was unable to make a substantial contribution before Santner found a way through his defence.

Santner’s celebration reflects the importance of the wicket

Santner’s reaction made the dismissal particularly memorable. The left-arm spinner pumped both fists in celebration, clearly pleased with the execution of his plan.

Unlike a delivery that produces a wicket through a mistimed shot or a straightforward error, this dismissal showcased the skill involved in deceiving a batter through the air. Santner finished with figures of 4/21 in his four overs as the Blackcaps look to defend the 180 run total.

After being asked to bat first, the home team finished at 180/5, thanks to a scintillating 70 off 43 deliveries by Glenn Phillips and a gritty 46-ball 58 from Bevon Jacobs.