New Zealand outclassed India by 87 runs in the Auckland T20I.
Invited to bat first, the hosts racked up a mammoth 259/7 on the board, thanks to Glenn Phillips' sensational 107 off 49 balls. Michael Bracewell also played a stunning knock of 25-ball 65.
For India, Mayank Yadav (3/48) was the most successful bowler, while Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed a wicket each.
In reply, the visitors were restricted to 172/9. The chase went horribly wrong as Jacob Duffy (4/23) struck twice in the opening over, dismissing Sanju Samson (4) and Ishan Kishan (0). It derailed further in the middle overs as Duffy broke a brief recovery by dismissing Naman Dhir (28) and Arshdeep Singh (0) off successive deliveries to virtually seal the match.
Reflecting on the loss, India skipper Shreyas Iyer acknowledged that the bowling attack fell short right from the start, particularly losing control during the powerplay after the Kiwis gained early momentum in the third over.
He lauded Phillips for his spectacular century, highlighting his consistent form across the series and the sheer quality of his strokeplay.
“I think we fell a bit short in our bowling to start with. Powerplay, especially in the third over, they got that momentum from there on, and yeah, couple of bowlers, they tried to squeeze in, but I think exceptional knock by Glenn. Some phenomenal shots, which were like pure bliss. So kudos to him. He's been consistent throughout the series, so lot to learn from him,” Iyer said at the post-match presentation.
With just a day off before the fifth and final T20I in Hamilton, Shreyas stressed the need to retrospect, go back to the drawing board, and execute plans better to bounce back.
“I feel that it's important to retrospect, see where we can actually bounce back, coming into Hamilton and just a day off. So I personally feel that we can probably go back to the drawing board and see to it we analyse and try to execute to the best of our abilities in the next game,” he added.
Shreyas Iyer noted that the unique dimensions of the ground and bouncy pitches posed a challenge, especially for players experiencing them for the first time, viewing the match as a valuable learning curve.
“Conversation was just that we knew that the dimensions are going to be like this, and some of them, it's their first time playing on such grounds. So it takes a bit of time for them to adapt to the challenge. It's not that easy, I understand that, but the way they executed the first three games, it was magnificent, and yeah, this is just a learning curve, I feel, that next time when they come here, they would probably have a better idea on how to go about their business. So a great learning curve, and hopefully we come back positive in the next game,” he concluded.
Despite the defeat, India lead 3-1 in the five-match series. The series finale will take place at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Sunday (November 1).