New Zealand crush India by 87 runs in fourth T20I to cut series deficit to 3-1

New Zealand ended India’s winning run in the five-match T20I series with an 87-run win at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday. The hosts made 259/7, the highest T20I total ever scored against India, and then restricted India to 172/9.

India still lead the series 3-1 with one match to play.

India brought in Ishan Kishan and Mayank Yadav after they chose to bowl, and the Men in Blue started well. Mayank (3/48) removed Tim Seifert (3) off the last ball of the first over, then trapped Daryl Mitchell (24) lbw, leaving New Zealand at 34/2.

Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen (31) rebuilt quickly, taking New Zealand to 67/2 at the end of the powerplay. Axar Patel then had Allen caught by Abhishek Sharma off the last ball of the eighth over. When Mayank dismissed Bevon Jacobs (7) in the 11th over, the hosts were 112/4 and India were still in the game.

What followed was carnage. Phillips (107 off 49 balls) and Michael Bracewell (65 off 25 balls) put on 115 runs off just 40 balls for the fifth wicket. Phillips reached his century off 46 balls with a six off Arshdeep Singh. He hit six fours and 10 sixes before Nitish Kumar Reddy had him caught by Abhishek in the final over. Bracewell, who struck six sixes, fell to Prince Yadav. Nitish conceded 64 in his four overs and Axar 43 in three.

India’s monumental chase started badly. Sanju Samson hit the first ball of the innings for four but fell to Jacob Duffy (4/23) the next ball. Kishan was out for a golden duck in the same over, leaving India at 4/2.

Captain Shreyas Iyer (22) and Abhishek (27) hit back briefly. But Adam Milne removed Iyer and Matt Fisher got Abhishek, and India lost four wickets in the powerplay. Mitchell Santner (2/24) then dismissed Nitish (21) and Axar (7), leaving India at 107/6 at the halfway mark.

Naman Dhir (28) kept the score moving until Duffy returned to dismiss him and Arshdeep off consecutive deliveries. Tilak Varma (35) fought on with the tail, but by then the required run rate was close to 25. Fisher (2/40) removed Tilak with India on 158/9 before Prince Yadav (18*) and Mayank (3*) batted out the remaining overs.

The teams meet in the fifth and final T20I to end the series on November 1st at the Seddon Park in Hamilton.