VISAKHAPATNAM: New Zealand handed India a 50-run defeat in the fourth Twenty20 International to register their first victory of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
Put in to bat, the visitors rode a blazing start from openers Tim Seifert and Devon Conway, who added 100 for the first wicket. Seifert struck 62 while Conway made 44, but New Zealand struggled to maintain the momentum after the stand was broken and eventually posted a challenging 215 for seven.
India fought back in the middle overs with spinner Kuldeep Yadav removing Conway in the ninth over, while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck in quick succession to curb the scoring. Bumrah took a return catch to dismiss Rachin Ravindra, and Arshdeep ended Seifert’s 36-ball innings, which included three sixes.
Chasing 216, India were immediately under pressure after resting top-order batter Ishan Kishan due to a niggle. Opener Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, fell for a first-ball duck to Matt Henry, and captain Suryakumar Yadav departed cheaply.
Rinku Singh contributed 39, but wickets continued to fall as New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner led the bowling with figures of three for 26. Shivam Dube launched a late counterattack, smashing 65 off just 23 balls with seven sixes, but his run-out late in the innings effectively ended India’s hopes.
India were bowled out for 165 in 18.4 overs but still hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series ahead of the final match in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
