At Eden Park in Auckland on October 30, 2026, Jacob Duffy delivered a four-wicket haul of 4/23 to help New Zealand beat India by 87 runs in the fourth T20I of the five-match series. The victory was New Zealand's first win of the series, which now stands 3-1 in India's favour with one match remaining.
Duffy's figures surpassed Trent Boult's previous best return by a New Zealand pacer against India in T20Is, which was 4/34 at Rajkot in 2017. Among Duffy's victims in Auckland were Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the first over itself and Naman Dhir and Arshdeep Singh at the back end of the innings.
New Zealand posted 259/7 in their 20 overs, the highest total by the Kiwis against India in T20Is. Glenn Phillips was the centrepiece of that effort, striking 107 off 49 balls with six fours and 10 sixes. Michael Bracewell provided explosive support lower down, contributing 65 off just 25 balls, an innings that included four boundaries and six sixes.
Chasing 260, India were bowled out for 172 in 20 overs. Tilak Varma top-scored with 35 off 35 balls, hitting one four and three sixes, but no other batter could build a substantial partnership. Mitchell Santner took 2/24 and Matthew Fisher claimed 2/40 as New Zealand's bowling attack shared the wickets across the innings.
How does Duffy's 4/23 fit into his overall T20I record?
The 4/23 at Eden Park is Duffy's best return against India in T20Is in 2026, a year in which he has taken 14 wickets across 13 matches at an average of 32.85. Across his full T20I career spanning 51 matches, Duffy has claimed 67 wickets at an average of 20.35, with six four-wicket hauls to his name. His career-best figures stand at 4/14, making the 4/23 against India his second-best return overall.
Those numbers place Duffy alongside Adam Milne as joint sixth-highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in T20I cricket. The Auckland performance adds another four-for to a record that already showed consistent ability to take multiple wickets in a single outing.
What did New Zealand's 259/7 mean for the match and the series?
New Zealand's total of 259/7 was the highest they have ever posted against India in T20I cricket, giving their bowlers a target that proved well beyond India's reach. Phillips' 107 off 49 balls set the platform, while Bracewell's 65 off 25 balls accelerated the scoring in the closing overs to push the total past 259.
India's reply of 172 all out left them 87 runs short, a margin that reflected both the scale of New Zealand's batting effort and the effectiveness of Duffy, Santner and Fisher with the ball. Despite the defeat, India have a 3-1 lead in the five-match series heading into the final game.
