Visakhapatnam: New Zealand produced a dominating all-round performance to hand India a 50-run defeat in the fourth T20I at Visakhapatnam.The win gives the Kiwis a confidence boost ahead of the T20 World Cup, even as India continue their dominance in the series.
Batting first, the Kiwis raced to 215 for 6, with opener Tim Seifert smashing 62 off 36 balls to set the tone. The Kiwi openers put on 71 in the Powerplay, while Daryl Mitchell added late flourish to push the total past 215.
India’s bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, struggled early, and even the spinners couldn’t contain the run flow.
Chasing 216, India stumbled from the start. Abhishek Sharma fell for a golden duck to Matt Henry, and the top order never recovered. Sanju Samson failed to seize another opportunity, while Rinku Singh showed brief promise.
Shivam Dube was the lone bright spot, blasting 65 off just 23 balls, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end, and India fell well short.
New Zealand’s bowling attack, led by captain Mitchell Santner’s three wickets, was backed by disciplined pacers and sharp fielding.
Speaking after the match, Seifert said taking the bowlers on early was key, adding that such aggressive cricket would be crucial for the T20 World Cup.
Santner highlighted the importance of Powerplay wickets and playing against quality opposition like India.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav noted that the team had experimented with six batters and five bowlers to challenge themselves, calling it a learning experience despite the heavy loss.
The fifth and final T20I will be played in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, January 31, with both teams likely to test combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Source: BCCi, Blackcaps
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