New Zealand thrash Ireland by 88 runs in the second T20I

Dane Cleaver's maiden T20I fifty and Michael Bracewell's maiden T20I hat-trick helped New Zealand to beat Ireland by 88 runs in the second T20I. New Zealand leads the three-match T20I series by 2-0. Ireland struggled against the pace of Jacob Duffy before Ish Sodhi and Michael Bracewell got through Ireland's middle and lower order. The hosts were all out in 14.5 overs and scored only 91 runs.  

As it happened:-

Ireland won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second T20I at Belfast. New Zealand started well with Finn Allen getting off to a flying start, he scored 35 off 20 balls before getting out in Joshua Little's over. Martin Guptill struggled to score runs and got out on 11 runs facing 16 deliveries. Glenn Phillips and Dane Cleaver had a 53-run partnership between them for the third wicket.

Phillips got out on 23 runs as Craig Young got his second wicket. Cleaver reached his maiden T20I half-century with a six. Daryl Mitchell scored 14 runs in his 48-run stand with Dane Cleaver. Cleaver scored 78 off 55 as New Zealand posted 179 on the scoreboard with the loss of 4 wickets.

Chasing the target, Ireland lost the first wicket with just 23 runs on the scoreboard as Paul Stirling dismissed in Lockie Ferguson's over, he scored 21 off 15. Ireland batters struggled against New Zealand bowling as none of them crossed the 30-run mark. Mark Adair was the highest run scorer for Ireland, he scored 27 runs. Michael Bracewell dismissed Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young and got his maiden T20 hat-trick. He becomes the third New Zealander after Jacob Oram and Tim Southee to get a T20I hat-trick.

"This is T20 cricket. Chasing 170, we were never really in the game. They batted really well to swing it in NZ's favour and we have to take responsibility as batsmen for this game. We got close in the last week in the ODIs but we didn't play to our best in the T20s. We have got a lot of good teams coming over before the World Cup and we have to keep improving day in and day out".- Andrew Balbirnie Ireland Captain

"It was a clinical victory. The way Dane played to get us to that score was outstanding. There is not a lot that Bracewell cannot do at the moment in all formats. The next game would be on a new wicket, so it might play similar to the first game". - Mitchell Santner New Zealand Captain

 New Zealand has already won the ODI series by 3-0 and will look for a victory in the third T20I in Belfast on Friday to accomplish a  complete whitewash in the T20 series as well.