January 28, 2026, Visakhapatnam – New Zealand delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat India by 50 runs in the fourth T20 international, tightening their grip on the five-match series. Batting first, the visitors posted a competitive total of 215 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, putting sustained pressure on the Indian bowling unit and setting a stiff target on a good batting surface.
New Zealand’s innings was anchored by Tim Seifert, who played an aggressive knock of 62 off just 36 deliveries, striking seven fours and three sixes to provide early momentum. Devon Conway complemented him with a brisk 44 from 23 balls, while Daryl Mitchell added late impetus with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls. Contributions from Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner ensured the scoring rate never dipped, even as wickets fell at regular intervals.
India’s bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs. Kuldeep Yadav emerged as the most effective, picking up two wickets, while Arshdeep Singh also claimed two scalps despite conceding runs at the death. Jasprit Bumrah managed one wicket but could not exert his usual control against a well-set New Zealand batting line-up.
In reply, India’s chase faltered early with the loss of Abhishek Sharma for a duck, and despite a valiant effort from Shivam Dube, who top-scored with a blistering 65 off 23 balls, the hosts were never fully in control of the pursuit. Rinku Singh contributed a fighting 39, but regular wickets stalled India’s momentum, and the innings eventually folded at 165 all out in 18.4 overs.
New Zealand’s bowlers shared the workload effectively. Mitchell Santner led the attack with three wickets, using his variations smartly in the middle overs. Jacob Duffy and Ish Sodhi picked up two wickets each, while Zakary Foulkes chipped in with a crucial breakthrough to keep India under constant pressure.
The result underlined New Zealand’s depth and adaptability in the shortest format, while India will be left searching for answers ahead of the series finale.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 215/7 in 20 overs (Tim Seifert 62, Devon Conway 44; Arshdeep Singh 2/33, Kuldeep Yadav 2/39)
India: 165/10 in 18.4 overs (Shivam Dube 65, Rinku Singh 39; Mitchell Santner 3/26, Jacob Duffy 2/33)
