Virat Kohli was a dejected captain as Team India suffered a crushing eight-wicket defeat at the hands of New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday (October 31).

Having lost to Pakistan last week, it was a must-win game for the Men in Blue but they failed to rise to the occasion once again.

Asked to bat first, India managed a below-par 110/7 in their stipulated 20 overs. All the batters looked tentative and Ravindra Jadeja was the top scorer with 26 not out.

In reply, the Kiwis chase down the target with 33 deliveries to spare on the back of Daryl Mitchell’s 35-ball 49 and skipper Kane Williamson’s unbeaten 33 off 31 balls.

“To be brutal upfront, I don't think we were brave enough with bat/ball. We obviously didn't have much to play with the ball. We were just not brave enough in our body language when we entered the field and NZ had better intensity, body language. Every time we took a chance, we lost a wicket. It's most often a result of hesitation of whether you should go for a shot or not,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“When you play for India, there are loads of expectations. We are watched, people come to the stadium and everyone who plays for India needs to embrace that and cope with it. We haven't done that in these two games, and that's why we haven't won,” he added.

This result means that India will need other games to go their way if they are to reach the semi-finals.

“We have to be optimistic and positive and take calculated risks. We have to disconnect from the pressure and continue with our process, and play a positive brand of cricket. There's a lot of cricket to play in the tournament,” the Indian captain remarked.

India will take on Afghanistan in their next match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (November 3).