IRE v NZ | 2nd T20I | Cleaver's dazzling 78 & 3-fer from Bracewell sets up an 88-run win for Blackcaps

An unbeaten 55-ball 78 from wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver, an all-round bowling display-led by Ish Sodhi (3/21) and Michael Bracewell's hat-trick helped New Zealand thump Ireland by 88 runs in the 2nd T20I and take a 2-0 lead in the three-match rubber on Wednesday (July 20).

Ireland crumble under pressure

Chasing 180, Ireland never really looked like getting close to the target as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The home side was eventually bowled out for 91 in the 14th over, with Michael Bracewell polishing off the lower-order by taking a hat-trick.

The tone, however, was set by the Kiwi pace duo of Lockie Ferguson and Jacob Duffy as they knocked over Ireland's top-3 in the powerplay with just 27 runs on the board.

Mark Adair- 27 off 22 with 4 fours and a six- did hit a few lusty blows in the end, but it proved to be too little and too late to have any kind of influence on the game as Bracewell's hat-trick sealed a sensational win for the BlackCaps.

Dane Cleaver's blistering knock flattens Irish bowlers

Earlier, New Zealand rode on a sensational 55-ball 78* from Cleaver to hammer Ireland attack to the tune of 179/4 in 20.

Despite Martin Guptill's painstaking 17-ball 11, the tourists got off to a blistering start thanks to Finn Allen, who stroked a rapid 20-ball 35 with the help of 4 fours and 2 sixes.

Thanks to Cleaver, New Zealand smashed 50 runs off the last 5, and as it turned out, it proved to be more than enough in the end.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 179/4 (20)

Dane Cleaver 78* (55)

Finn Allen 35 (20)

Joshua Little 2/31 (4)

Craig Young 2/34 (4)

Ireland 91/10 (13.5)

Mark Adair 27 (22)

Paul Stirling 21 (15)

Ish Sodhi 3/21 (3)

Michael Bracewell 3/5 (0.5)

Result: New Zealand won by 88 runs to seal the series 2-0

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