New Zealand produced a commanding performance in Auckland to beat India in 4th T20 by a huge margin and keep the five-match T20I series alive.
The hosts posted their highest total of the series before their bowlers dismantled India’s top order. Glenn Phillips led the batting charge with a brilliant century, while Michael Bracewell provided explosive support.
India never recovered after losing six wickets for 89 runs.
New Zealand had already posted totals of 198, 180 and 225 earlier in the series. This time, however, they went a step further.
After losing a few wickets during the opening exchanges, Glenn Phillips took control of the innings. Michael Bracewell joined him in the 11th over, and the pair immediately shifted the momentum.
They added 115 runs in a rapid partnership.
Bracewell reached his half-century from only 19 balls. Phillips went even further, completing his third fifty-plus score of the series before reaching a spectacular century.
The New Zealand batter attacked almost every delivery and kept the Indian bowlers under constant pressure. His clean hitting allowed the hosts to accelerate sharply during the latter stages.
New Zealand eventually finished on 259, their highest score of the series.
For India, it was another difficult night with the ball. They conceded 250 or more for the third time in T20Is this year.
Mayank Yadav provided some resistance with three wickets, but he also went for plenty of runs as New Zealand maintained their attacking approach.
India’s chase never gained momentum.
India top order came under immediate pressure as New Zealand bowlers found movement in 4th T20 and bounce from the surface. Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Kumar Reddy showed glimpses of resistance, but all three fell after making scores in the 20s.
The situation quickly became worse.
By the halfway stage, India had slipped to 89/6 and were facing an enormous target. With the required run rate already climbing, the visitors needed a major partnership to keep their hopes alive.
Naman Dhir briefly provided some attacking intent before his dismissal.
Tilak Varma then took responsibility and tried to give the innings some stability. He remained one of India’s more reliable contributors as wickets continued to fall around him.
Prince Yadav added a few useful runs towards the end, but India could only reach a modest total.
The target had simply proved too large.
New Zealand backed up their exceptional batting display with a much-improved effort with the ball.
Their bowlers made good use of the early movement and bounce. They also varied their lengths effectively and regularly attacked the hard areas of the pitch.
Jacob Duffy led the way with four wickets.
Mitchell Santner once again played an important role in the middle overs. He restricted India’s scoring and picked up two wickets during a controlled spell.
Matthew Fisher also claimed two wickets despite conceding some runs.
The overall bowling performance represented a significant improvement from New Zealand’s earlier displays in the series. This time, they maintained pressure throughout the innings and rarely allowed India to establish a partnership.
The victory in 4th T20 gave New Zealand a much-needed response after India had already secured the series.
The hosts cannot win the series now, but they have avoided a clean sweep with one match still remaining.
Phillips’ century provided the foundation, while Bracewell’s rapid fifty helped New Zealand turn a competitive total into a massive one.
Their bowlers then completed the job with an impressive all-round performance.
India, meanwhile, will have plenty to address after being outplayed in both innings.
The final match will give New Zealand an opportunity to finish the series on a winning note, while India will look to bounce back after a heavy defeat.
