Shivam Dube hammered the third-fastest fifty by an India batter in T20Is, finishing with 65 off 23 balls, but it wasn’t enough as the New Zealand bowlers continued to chip away to register a 50-run win in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam. The India vs New Zealand series is now placed at 3-1 with a game to go.
New Zealand were lifted to a total of 215 with a power-packed fifty from Tim Seifert and a useful cameo in the death by Daryl Mitchell. It was an innings of three parts for New Zealand in the IND vs NZ encounter. They amassed 100 runs in the first 8.1 overs, lost 6 for 63 in the next eight and then smoked 47 in the last three to post their second-highest score in a T20I against India.
India then completely lost their way in the chase. Abhishek Sharma bagged a first-ball duck by slicing a high catch to Devon Conway at deep third. By the time 11 overs were done, India had slipped to 87 for 5, with the required rate rocketing to 14.33 in the India vs New Zealand match.
Table of Contents
Seifert and Conway Provide the Power in Powerplay
Seifert was at his adventurous best in the powerplay as he came out swinging for the hills. Out of the first 12 balls of the innings, he faced 11 and thrashed them for 25. That included two leading edges over short third, and two boundaries in front of the wicket against Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, respectively.
While Conway was initially subdued, managing 8 off 9 against the fast bowlers, he took down Ravi Bishnoi in the last over of the powerplay for two fours and a six. New Zealand racked up 71 in first six overs, their best powerplay against India in T20Is. This explosive start set the tone for New Zealand’s imposing total in the IND vs NZ fourth T20I.
New Zealand Powerplay Performance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 71 runs in 6 overs |
| Seifert’s Contribution | 46 off 21 balls |
| Conway’s Contribution | Two fours and a six off Bishnoi |
| Record | New Zealand’s best powerplay against India in T20Is |
New Zealand’s Middle-Overs Slump
Once the field spread out and the spinners started operating, Seifert found it tougher to breach the gaps regularly. He had ransacked 46 runs in 21 balls in the powerplay, but managed just 16 of his next 15 balls in the India vs New Zealand match. Conway, however, ensured the slowdown wasn’t apparent as he took on the spinners with authority. He slog-swept Kuldeep twice over deep midwicket before driving Bishnoi over the covers for four.
But once Conway fell carving Kuldeep to deep extra cover, New Zealand started to slip. Bumrah returned to nab Rachin Ravindra with a hard-length delivery for a simple return catch, while Arshdeep’s offcutter to Seifert couldn’t clear long-off. Glenn Phillips found the middle of the bat a few times but his innings was cut short when he chipped Kuldeep to long-on where Rinku Singh took the third of his four catches.
While New Zealand were still maintaining an excellent scoring rate, they lost wickets regularly and when Mark Chapman fell at the start of the 16th over, it seemed like they would not get to 200 in the IND vs NZ encounter.
New Zealand Middle-Order Batting
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | Boundaries | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Seifert | 62 | 36 | – | c long-off b Arshdeep |
| Devon Conway | 44 | 27 | 5 fours, 2 sixes | c deep extra cover b Kuldeep |
| Rachin Ravindra | 5 | 8 | – | c&b Bumrah |
| Glenn Phillips | 15 | 12 | – | c Rinku b Kuldeep |
| Mark Chapman | 7 | 10 | – | – |
Mitchell to New Zealand’s Rescue… Again
Time and again, Mitchell has dragged New Zealand out of a hole and he was at it again in the India vs New Zealand match. With the visitors 168 for 6 after 17, they needed a big finish. Zak Foulkes helped by sending Arshdeep for a four and six in the 18th over.
Mitchell then took on Bumrah, thumping him for a four and six before Henry ended the over with a fortunate edge. Bumrah leaked 19 runs off the 19th, his second-costliest over in his T20I career. Rana then conceded 14 runs in the final over and New Zealand ended the innings on a high.
New Zealand Death Overs Performance
| Overs | Runs Scored | Key Moments |
|---|---|---|
| 18th (Arshdeep) | 15 runs | Foulkes hit a four and six |
| 19th (Bumrah) | 19 runs | Mitchell hit a four and six; Bumrah’s second-costliest T20I over |
| 20th (Rana) | 14 runs | Final flourish |
| Total (Last 3 overs) | 47 runs | From 168/6 to 215/7 |
India’s Chase Never Lifts Off
It’s been a feast or famine kind of a series for Abhishek and it was the latter this time with the opener falling for a golden duck. Suryakumar Kumar was squared up first ball and was nearly caught and bowled by Henry soon after, but didn’t last long. The lanky Duffy bent low in his follow-through to take a stunning catch as India slipped to 9 for 2 in two overs in the IND vs NZ match.
This was Sanju Samson’s chance to prove his worth but he fell short again in the India vs New Zealand encounter. It was a weird start for him, where he was staying back to a lot of the full balls, almost pre-meditating the short delivery, with his feet stuck in the crease. He laced Sodhi through the covers and then whipped Duffy over deep midwicket in typical Samson style but was undone by Santner.
He went back to a length ball that he should have ideally been forward for. The ball skidded through after pitching, and he almost played down the wrong line to be bowled for 24 off 15. Hardik Pandya came and went and when Rinku fell after a sprightly 39, it seemed curtains for India’s chase.
India Top Order Collapse
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 0 | 1 | c Conway (deep third) b Henry – golden duck |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 8 | 8 | c&b Duffy |
| Sanju Samson | 24 | 15 | b Santner |
| Hardik Pandya | 2 | 5 | caught |
| Rinku Singh | 39 | 30 | lbw |
| Total at 11 overs | 87/5 | Required rate: 14.33 |
Dube Decimates Sodhi
It was around this time that Dube took charge in the IND vs NZ match, with a 29-run over off Ish Sodhi before depositing Jacob Duffy for two more sixes to bring up a fifty in 15 balls. He was threatening to take the game away but was run out at the non-striker’s end off the bowler’s deflection, and India’s challenge ended as they were bowled out for 165 in 18.4 overs.
Dube was on 12 off 6 when the 12th over began. By the time the over was done, he had raced to 40 off 12 and India’s chase was suddenly back on track. It was pretty poor bowling from Sodhi, who just kept delivering in Dube’s arc and was thrashed for 2, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, all gigantic sixes.
Dube was given out lbw on field to Duffy the next over but replays confirmed he had managed an inside-edge onto his boot, something which even he didn’t realise, going by his reluctance to take the review. He then thrashed Duffy for two more sixes to reach his fifty off 15 balls. But he fell on the last ball of the 15th and that was virtually the end of India’s chase in the India vs New Zealand match.
Shivam Dube’s Explosive Innings
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Final Score | 65 off 23 balls |
| Fifty | 15 balls (third-fastest by India batter in T20Is) |
| Over Sodhi (12th) | 2, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6 (29 runs, all sixes except two) |
| Against Duffy | Two sixes to reach fifty |
| Dismissal | Run out at non-striker’s end off bowler’s deflection |
| When He Fell | Last ball of 15th over |
Sodhi picked up Rana and Arshdeep in an over, before a mean Duffy bouncer had Kuldeep fending to Seifert as India were bowled out with eight balls left in the IND vs NZ encounter.
Mitchell Santner’s Match-Winning Spell
Mitchell Santner was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers in the India vs New Zealand match, returning 3 for 26, while Jacob Duffy and Ish Sodhi picked up two wickets apiece.
Santner’s crucial wickets included Sanju Samson, who was bowled for 24 off 15, and he played a pivotal role in restricting India to 165 in 18.4 overs.
New Zealand Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Santner | 4 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 6.50 |
| Jacob Duffy | 3.4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Ish Sodhi | 4 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 11.50 |
| Matt Henry | 3 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Zak Foulkes | 3 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 9.66 |
| Glenn Phillips | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7.00 |
India’s Bowling Performance
Despite New Zealand’s massive total of 215, India’s bowlers showed some fight, particularly in the middle overs. Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav were the pick of the bowlers for India in the IND vs NZ match, claiming two wickets each.
India Bowling Statistics
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 8.25 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 4 | 0 | 39 | 2 | 9.75 |
| Harshit Rana | 4 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 12.75 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 13.00 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 10.00 |
Jasprit Bumrah’s 19-run 19th over was his second-costliest over in his T20I career, while Harshit Rana conceded 14 runs in the final over as New Zealand plundered 47 runs in the last three overs.
Match Statistics and Records
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Final Score | New Zealand 215/7, India 165 |
| Result | New Zealand won by 50 runs |
| Venue | Visakhapatnam |
| Date | January 28, 2026 |
| Player of the Match | Tim Seifert (62 off 36) |
| Cricinfo’s MVP | Mitchell Santner (75.09 points) |
| Series Standing | 3-1 (NZ leads) |
| NZ Record | Second-highest T20I score against India |
Tim Seifert’s Match-Winning Knock
Tim Seifert was named Player of the Match for his explosive 62 off 36 balls. He was at his adventurous best in the powerplay, facing 11 of the first 12 balls and thrashing them for 25 runs. That included two leading edges over short third and two boundaries in front of the wicket against Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Seifert had ransacked 46 runs in 21 balls in the powerplay but managed just 16 off his next 15 balls as the spinners operated. Despite the slowdown, his innings laid the foundation for New Zealand’s imposing total in the India vs New Zealand match. He eventually fell to Arshdeep’s offcutter, which he couldn’t clear at long-off.
Series Context
The series is now placed at 3-1 with a game to go. New Zealand’s victory in the IND vs NZ fourth T20I prevented India from sealing the series early and kept the contest alive heading into the final match. Despite having already secured the series lead, India will be disappointed with their batting collapse after a promising start from Dube.
For New Zealand, the 50-run victory represents a significant morale boost and demonstrates their ability to post competitive totals and defend them against a strong India batting lineup. The contributions from Seifert, Conway, and Mitchell with the bat, combined with Santner’s bowling masterclass, showcased New Zealand’s depth and resilience in the India vs New Zealand series.
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FAQs
What was the final score in the India vs New Zealand 4th T20I?
New Zealand scored 215 for 7 in 20 overs, and India was bowled out for 165 in 18.4 overs. New Zealand won by 50 runs at Visakhapatnam on January 28, 2026.
Who was the Player of the Match in IND vs NZ 4th T20I?
Tim Seifert was named Player of the Match for his explosive 62 off 36 balls, which included 46 runs in 21 balls during the powerplay.
How fast did Shivam Dube score his fifty?
Shivam Dube scored his fifty in just 15 balls, making it the third-fastest fifty by an India batter in T20Is. He finished with 65 off 23 balls before being run out.
How many runs did New Zealand score in the last three overs?
New Zealand smoked 47 runs in the last three overs, going from 168 for 6 after 17 overs to 215 for 7. Daryl Mitchell’s cameo and Zak Foulkes’ contributions were crucial.
What is the series standing after the IND vs NZ 4th T20I?
The series is now placed at 3-1 with India leading and one game remaining. New Zealand’s 50-run victory prevented India from sealing the series early.
