New Zealand finally ended their losing streak, winning the fourth T20I by 87 runs against India on Friday, October 30, at Eden Park in Auckland.
Sheryas Iyer won the toss yet again and opted to field first. Tim Seifert departed early but Finn Allen and Daryl Mitchell played exhilarating cameos to give the Kiwis a fantastic start. Bevon Jacobs departed early as Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell joined forces with the score at 112/4 in 10.4 overs.
Phillips and Bracewell forged a match-winning 115-run stand off just 40 balls. While Bracewell smashed 65 off 25 balls, Phillips amassed 107 off just 49 deliveries. India picked up a few wickets at the backend of the innings but the hosts eventually finished with a huge score of 259/7 in 20 overs. Mayank Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for India, finishing with figures of 3/48 in four overs.
During the run-chase, India got off to a disastrous start as Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan departed after scoring 4 and 0, respectively. Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer got off to starts but couldn't convert them into substantial scores.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Naman Dhir also hit a flurry of boundaries during their brief knocks but the required run rate was all but out of hand at that point. Tilak Varma played a strange knock of 35 off 35 balls while Prince Yadav chipped in with an unbeaten 17-ball 18. The Men in Blue finished on 172/9. Jacob Duffy starred with the ball, bagging a four-for.
Top batting performance of the match: Glenn Phillips
Glenn Phillips had scored two brilliant half-centuries in the first two T20Is. In the third T20I, he departed for 17 but his best knock of the series came on Friday. The right-handed batter slammed 107 off just 49 balls, hitting six fours and 10 sixes.
Glenn Phillips goes full throttle to bring up his hundred! 💯
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) October 30, 2026
And yes, the John Cena theme was right on cue! 🎶
Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 4th T20I, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha.#SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV #SonyVizha… pic.twitter.com/FlOb2P2yqq
Top bowling performance of the match: Jacob Duffy
Jacob Duffy bowled a sensational spell for the Kiwis. He dismissed the in-form duo of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan with the new ball and India could never really recover. In the end, the right-arm fast bowler finished with figures of 4/23 in four overs.
The Kiwis are making amends, one stunning catch at a time! 🙌
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) October 30, 2026
Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 4th T20I, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha.#SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV #SonyVizha #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/7dPMEdVR3K
Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved
- Glenn Phillips won his 10th Player of the Match award. This is the joint-most by a New Zealander in T20Is.
- This 87-run defeat is India's second-biggest in terms of runs in T20Is after the 125-run drubbing against England earlier this year.
- 4/23 by Jacob Duffy is the best figures by a New Zealand pacer against India in T20Is.
Who won the Player of the Match
Glenn Phillips won the Player of the Match award for his blistering knock in the first innings. The 29-year-old scored only his second century in T20I cricket. He finished his knock with a strike rate of 218.37. Phillips batted till 19.2 overs, taking the Kiwis to a massive total.
When's the next match?
The fifth and final T20I will be played in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
