Glenn Phillips hit 107 off 49 balls and Michael Bracewell added 65 off 25 as New Zealand made 259/7 and beat India by 87 runs at Eden Park, with Jacob Duffy’s 4-23 bowling India out for 172/9 and trimming their series lead to 3-1.
Auckland, New Zealand: India had already sealed the series, and the fourth T20I turned into a consolation party for the hosts. New Zealand batted first, made the highest total of the series, and then watched Duffy take two wickets in the opening over of the chase.
Phillips and Bracewell take the game away
India won the toss and chose to bowl, and Mayank Yadav gave them the start they wanted. He removed Tim Seifert for 3 in the first over and Daryl Mitchell for 24 soon after, leaving New Zealand 34/2. Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips then lifted the score to 67/2 through the powerplay, and Axar Patel ended Allen’s 31 off 17 balls.
The match turned in the middle overs. Phillips and Michael Bracewell added 115 for the fifth wicket in roughly 40 balls. Bracewell struck 65 off 25 with four fours and six sixes before Prince Yadav won an lbw decision. Phillips went on to 107 off 49 balls, with six fours and ten sixes, before Nitish Kumar Reddy had him caught in the final over. New Zealand finished on 259/7.
Duffy rips through India’s top order
The chase of 260 was effectively over inside the first over. Duffy dismissed Sanju Samson for 4, caught by Seifert, and Ishan Kishan for a duck. India were 61/4 at the end of the powerplay, with Abhishek Sharma’s 27 off 15 balls and Shreyas Iyer’s 22 off 11 failing to change the shape of the innings.
Mitchell Santner removed Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the same over to leave India 89/6. Tilak Varma top-scored with 35 off 35 balls, Naman Dhir hit 28 off 13 and Prince Yadav added 18 off 17, but no one else reached 30. India finished on 172/9. Duffy returned 4-23, Santner took 2, Matthew Fisher took 2 and Adam Milne one.
Arshdeep’s milestone, series still India’s
One piece of history survived the defeat. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Santner on the last ball of his spell, caught by Reddy, to become the first Indian bowler to take 150 wickets in T20 internationals. He finished with 1-38 from four overs.
India still lead the five-match series 3-1 after Abhishek Sharma’s 35-ball century sealed it in Wellington. The final T20I is in Hamilton on Sunday, 1 November, with an 8 pm local start.
New Zealand 259/7 (20 overs): Phillips 107 (49), Bracewell 65 (25), Allen 31 (17). Mayank Yadav 3-48, Arshdeep Singh 1-38, Prince Yadav 1-49, Nitish Kumar Reddy 1-64, Axar Patel 1-43.
India 172/9 (20 overs): Tilak Varma 35 (35), Naman Dhir 28 (13), Abhishek Sharma 27 (15), Iyer 22 (11), Prince Yadav 18 (17). Duffy 4-23, Santner 2, Fisher 2, Milne 1.
Result: New Zealand won by 87 runs. India lead the series 3-1.
