New Zealand concluded their five-match T20 series against India with a positive result, securing a seven-wicket victory in the final game. Although the tourists had already conceded the series after losing the opening three matches, their performance in the last two encounters allowed them to finish the tour with consecutive wins.
Chasing a target of 192, the Kiwis faced an early setback when Finn Allen departed after scoring only two runs. However, Tim Seifert stabilized the innings with a 73-run partnership alongside Daryl Mitchell, followed by an 86-run stand with Glenn Phillips. Seifert anchored the chase with an impressive 93 runs off 50 deliveries, narrowly missing a century, while Phillips remained unbeaten on 65 from 38 balls.
India had earlier struggled after being sent into bat, losing openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for a combined five runs. A recovery was led by Ishan Kishan, who scored 61 off 32 balls, and Shreyas Iyer, who hit 50 from 23 deliveries. Further contributions from Naman Dhir (33) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (22) helped India reach a total of 191/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
Adam Milne was instrumental in New Zealand’s bowling effort, claiming 4 wickets for 19 runs, while Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner contributed with two wickets each.
Match Summary
- India: 191/8 in 20 overs (Kishan 61, Iyer 50; Milne 4/19)
- New Zealand: 195/3 in 18 overs (Seifert 93, Phillips 65; Reddy 1/19)
- Result: New Zealand won by 7 wickets
