Batting first after India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl, New Zealand posted 259 for 7 in their 20 overs — their highest-ever total in T20I cricket. The innings was built on one spectacular partnership. Glenn Phillips smashed 107 runs off just 49 balls, hitting six fours and ten sixes at a strike rate of over 218, and Michael Bracewell hammered 65 off only 25 balls. Together they added 115 runs in just 40 balls, turning a promising start into a mountain for India to climb. Finn Allen and Daryl Mitchell had earlier played quick cameos after Tim Seifert fell early, and although India picked up wickets late in the innings, the damage was already done. Mayank Yadav was India's best bowler with 3 for 48.
India's chase never got going. Jacob Duffy struck twice in the opening over, removing the in-form Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, and India lost five wickets inside the first ten overs. Tilak Varma top-scored with a slow 35 off 35 balls, Naman Dhir made 28, and Prince Yadav finished unbeaten on 18, but India could only reach 172 for 9. Duffy finished with 4 for 23, Mitchell Santner took 2 for 24, and the defeat — India's second-biggest ever in T20Is by runs, after the 125-run loss to England earlier this year — was sealed with room to spare.
Phillips was named Player of the Match for his second T20I century, his tenth Player of the Match award in the format — joint-most by a New Zealander. For India, the consolation is that the series is already won at 3-1, but New Zealand will take real momentum into the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Sunday, 1 November 2026, where India will want to prove this heavy defeat was only a blip.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo, IANS, CricTracker and Indian Express match reports.
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Urdu version (Roman Urdu):
New Zealand ne aakhir kaar India ke khilaaf T20I series mein pehli jeet haasil kar li hai — Auckland ke Eden Park mein khele gaye chauthe T20I mein India ko 87 runs se shikast de di. Ye New Zealand ki is paanch matches ki series mein pehli kamyabi hai, jis se India ki bartari ab 3-1 reh gayi hai.
Pehle batting karte hue New Zealand ne 20 overs mein 259 runs banaye — jo un ka T20I cricket mein ab tak ka sab se bara total hai. Glenn Phillips ne sirf 49 balls par 107 runs ki dhamaka-khez innings kheli, jis mein 10 sixes shaamil the, aur Michael Bracewell ne 25 balls par 65 runs banaye. Dono ne sirf 40 balls mein 115 runs ki partnership ki.
India ka chase shuru se hi mushkil mein raha. Jacob Duffy ne pehle over mein do wickets lein, aur India 10 overs ke andar paanch wickets ganwa baitha. Tilak Varma ne 35 runs banaye, lekin India sirf 172 runs par 9 wickets par ruk gaya. Duffy ne 4 wickets lein aur Phillips ko Player of the Match qarar diya gaya.
Series ka aakhri aur paanchwan T20I itwaar, 1 November 2026 ko Hamilton mein khela jayega, jahan India is bhaari haar ka jawab dena chahega.
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