Glenn Phillips produced a sensational 107 and Jacob Duffy dismantled India’s top order as New Zealand claimed an 87-run win at Eden Park. India’s series lead remains intact at 3–1, but the hosts finally have a result to celebrate.
A target of 260 proved beyond India after New Zealand piled up 259 for seven in Auckland. Phillips’ 49-ball century and Michael Bracewell’s explosive 65 put the hosts in command, before Duffy struck twice in the opening over of the chase and finished with four wickets. India were restricted to 172 for nine in 20 overs, losing by 87 runs.
Glenn Phillips turns the innings around with a stunning hundred
New Zealand had been reduced to 34 for two inside the first three overs, giving India an opportunity to control the innings. Phillips changed the direction of the game with a remarkable counterattack. He struck 107 from 49 deliveries, hitting six fours and 10 sixes, and made the most of a reprieve in the field to push the scoring rate beyond India’s reach.
Michael Bracewell provided the perfect partner in the middle overs. His 65 came from only 25 balls, with four fours and six sixes. The pair added 115 runs for the fifth wicket, turning a recovery into a late-innings assault. New Zealand finished on 259 for seven, its highest T20I total at home and the highest score recorded against India in the format.
Phillips’ 107 off 49 balls and Bracewell’s 65 off 25 gave New Zealand the late acceleration needed to turn a difficult start into a huge total.
India’s chase collapses in the opening over
India needed a strong start against a steep target, but Jacob Duffy struck immediately. Sanju Samson made four before being dismissed, and Ishan Kishan followed for a duck in the same opening over. The two early wickets put India under pressure before the chase had a chance to settle.
Abhishek Sharma made 27 from 15 balls, while captain Shreyas Iyer scored 22. Neither could convert a brisk start into a match-changing innings. Duffy later removed Naman Dhir, who had scored 28, and Arshdeep Singh off successive deliveries, leaving India with too much to do.
Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir offer resistance
Tilak Varma top-scored for India with 35, while Naman Dhir added 28 and Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 21. Their efforts helped India avoid an even heavier collapse, but the asking rate kept climbing as wickets fell. India ended on 172 for nine, 87 runs short of the target.
The result was a reminder that a high target requires both a rapid start and wickets in hand. India had neither after the opening over, and New Zealand were able to keep attacking rather than defend the boundary for the full 20 overs.
Jacob Duffy’s four-wicket spell seals the result
Duffy finished with four for 23, repeatedly breaking India’s attempts to rebuild. His two wickets in the first over put the visitors immediately on the back foot, while the double strike to remove Dhir and Arshdeep ended any realistic hope of a late recovery.
New Zealand’s bowling effort was supported by disciplined pressure through the middle overs. India’s batters found it difficult to maintain the scoring rate without taking risks, and the wickets that followed made the chase increasingly unrealistic.
India still lead the series 3–1
The defeat ends India’s unbeaten run in the T20I series, but it does not change the overall series winner: India had already taken an unassailable 3–0 lead by winning the first three matches. New Zealand’s victory at Eden Park makes the score 3–1 and prevents a clean sweep ahead of the fifth and final T20I in Hamilton.
For India, the final match offers an opportunity to respond after a rare batting setback. The top order will want a more composed start, while the bowling group will look to recover from a difficult evening in which Phillips and Bracewell scored freely. New Zealand can take confidence from the balance of this performance: a recovery with the bat followed by early wickets and sustained pressure with the ball.
What the fourth T20I tells us
- New Zealand’s middle order can change a game quickly: Phillips and Bracewell turned a two-wicket setback into a total above 250.
- Early wickets are decisive in a big chase: Duffy’s first-over double strike left India chasing the game from the start.
- India’s series position remains secure: The visitors lead 3–1 and have already clinched the five-match contest.
Sportimatic verdict
New Zealand delivered the complete performance needed to answer India’s dominance in the first three matches. Phillips supplied the innings of the night, Bracewell accelerated the finish, and Duffy ensured India never built momentum in the chase. India remain series winners, but the final T20I now carries a different challenge: finishing the tour leg with a stronger response.
More India vs New Zealand coverage
- Third T20I recap: Abhishek Sharma’s 113 powered India’s historic chase
- India tour of New Zealand 2026–27: Full T20I, ODI and Test schedule
Sources and further reading
Match report updated October 30, 2026. Final score: New Zealand 259/7 (20 overs), India 172/9 (20 overs). New Zealand won by 87 runs. India lead the five-match series 3–1.
