On Friday, October 30, the Black Caps posted a commanding 259/7 at Eden Park, dismantling Shreyas Iyer's Indian side by 87 runs in the fourth T20 International of the five‑match series.
Glenn Phillips anchored the innings with a rapid 107 off 49 balls, while Michael Bracewell added a blistering 65 from 25 deliveries. Their partnership of 115 runs in just 41 balls propelled New Zealand to the highest T20I total ever recorded against India.
India’s reply never gathered momentum. Jacob Duffy ripped through the top order, claiming 4 for 23, including the wickets of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the opening over. The damage was done early, leaving the visitors at 61 for four after the power‑play.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer managed a 46‑run stand with Abhishek Sharma, the highest partnership for India that day, but both fell short – Iyer scored 22 off 11 balls and Sharma 27 off 15, the latter dismissed by Matthew Fisher.
Mitchell Santner contributed two wickets for 23 runs, keeping the Indian batters under pressure throughout the post‑power‑play phase. The chase stalled at 172 for nine, a sub‑par total on a pitch that offered a touch of extra bounce.
Earlier in the innings, Phillips and Finn Allen built a 59‑run third‑wicket stand, after which Phillips unleashed a series of boundaries, including four consecutive sixes in the 16th over against Nitish Reddy. Bracewell, exploiting a mismatch against left‑arm spinner Axar Patel, struck four fours and a six in a single over, reaching his fifty in just 18 balls.
The victory narrows the series score to 3‑1, giving New Zealand a chance to level the contest in the final match.
Image: siasat.com
📰 Source: Siasat Gulf