New Zealand’s Record 259 Powers Win Over India in Fourth T20I

New Zealand vs India – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – New Zealand’s batters finally found their fire at a packed Eden Park on Friday. They scored 259/7, their highest T20I total, and won the fourth match by 87 runs.

India had controlled the first three games. This time the hosts hit back hard.

Glenn Phillips led the charge with 107 off just 49 balls. He hit 10 sixes along the way. Michael Bracewell added a fast 65 off 25 balls.

India started well after choosing to bowl. Mayank Yadav, who came in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, got Tim Seifert out in the first over. He later bowled Daryl Mitchell with a sharp yorker.

Finn Allen kept things moving. New Zealand reached 67/2 in the Powerplay, their best of the series. Allen fell for 31 to Axar Patel.

At 112/4, India looked set to fight back. Instead, Phillips and Bracewell added 115 runs in only 40 balls. It is the fastest 100-plus stand ever made against India.

Phillips hit four sixes in a row off Nitish Kumar Reddy in the 16th over. That over gave 32 runs. Bracewell then hit three more sixes off Mayank, making it seven sixes in nine balls.

Bracewell reached his fifty off 19 balls. Phillips got his hundred off 46 balls. The hosts struck 20 sixes in all, a new T20I record for them.

They also scored 150 runs in the last 10 overs. Nitish ended with 1 for 64, one of the most expensive spells by an Indian bowler in T20Is. Only Arshdeep Singh kept his economy under 10 an over. He also took his 150th T20I wicket.

The chase never really started. Jacob Duffy removed Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the first over. India fell to 56/4 in the Powerplay and later to 121/8.

Tilak Varma top-scored with 35, and Prince Yadav made 18 not out. Their runs only reduced the margin. India finished on 172/9.

Duffy took 4 for 23. Mitchell Santner and Matt Fisher took two wickets each.

It was India’s second-heaviest T20I defeat by runs. Their unbeaten run of 10 T20Is in New Zealand has now ended.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 259/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 107, Michael Bracewell 65; Mayank Yadav 3-48) beat India 172/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 35; Jacob Duffy 4-23, Mitchell Santner 2-24, Matt Fisher 2-40) by 87 runs.