India cruise past NZ

Rohit Sharma became the highest run scorer in Twenty20 international history Friday as India romped to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the second T20 in Auckland.

Sharma top-scored for the tourists with 50 as India chased down New Zealand's modest 159-run target in 18.5 overs, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.

Sharma's knock was his 16th T20 half century and took his career tally in the format to 2,288 runs, overtaking New Zealand's Martin Guptill on 2,272.

However Sharma was more interested in focusing on India's performance than his individual achievements.

"I'm very pleased with how we bowled and then we were quite clinical with the bat as well," he said. "We were expecting a performance like that, we've got quality in our side but we didn't execute our plans in the first game.

"We learned from our mistakes and we got the reward for it."

India's bowling attack was much improved and man-of-the-match Krunal Pandya took three for 28 as they restricted New Zealand to 158 for eight.

SCORES IN BRIEF

NEW ZEALAND: 158 for 8 in 20 overs (Grandhomme 50, Taylor 42; Pandya 3-28)

INDIA: 162 for 3 in 18.5 overs (Sharma 50, Pant 40 not out; Mitchell 1-15)

Result: India won by 7 wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Krunal Pandya.