IND vs NZ 4th T20I Match Highlights: In a high-scoring encounter at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, New Zealand finally broke India’s winning streak to clinch a convincing 50-run victory in the 4th T20I.
Despite a late-innings blitz from Shivam Dube that briefly gave the home crowd hope, the Black Caps’ clinical all-round performance proved too much for the hosts.
Having already lost the series (3-1), New Zealand played with the freedom of a team with nothing to lose. Here is a breakdown of how the action unfolded in Vizag.
The Kiwi Launchpad: Seifert and Conway Fire
After being invited to bat first by Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, New Zealand’s openers came out with a clear plan: attack from the first ball.
Tim Seifert was the chief architect of the onslaught, smashing 62 off just 36 deliveries. He found an able partner in Devon Conway, who looked back to his best with a fluent 44 off 23 balls.
The pair put on a century stand (100 runs) in just 8.2 overs, leaving the Indian bowlers searching for answers. While India’s spinners, led by Kuldeep Yadav (2/39), managed to trigger a middle-order wobble, Daryl Mitchell provided the finishing kick.
Mitchell’s unbeaten 39 off 18 balls propelled New Zealand to a formidable 215/7—their second-highest T20 total against India.
India’s Rocky Start
Chasing 216 was always going to be a tall order, and India’s pursuit got off to the worst possible start. The in-form Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball of the innings by Matt Henry.
Things went from bad to worse when captain Suryakumar Yadav fell shortly after for just 8, leaving India reeling at 9/2.
While Rinku Singh (39) and Sanju Samson (24) tried to stabilize the ship, they couldn't find the boundary regularly enough to keep up with the ballooning required rate.
When Mitchell Santner (3/26) removed both Hardik Pandya and Samson in quick succession, the match seemed effectively over with India at 82/5.
The Dube Storm
Just as fans began heading for the exits, Shivam Dube decided to put on a show. The tall left-hander played an innings of pure power, reaching his half-century in just 15 balls—one of the fastest in Indian T20 history.
Dube’s 23-ball 65 included 7 towering sixes, with one over against Ish Sodhi yielding 29 runs (4, 6, 4, 6, 6). For a brief moment, an improbable comeback looked possible.
However, a freakish run-out ended his stay; a straight drive from Harshit Rana deflected off bowler Matt Henry’s hand onto the stumps with Dube stranded out of his crease.
Clinical Finish for New Zealand
Once Dube departed, the tail folded quickly. Jacob Duffy and Mitchell Santner cleaned up the lower order to bowl India out for 165 in 18.4 overs.
Tim Seifert was named Player of the Match for his tone-setting half-century. While India still holds the series lead, this win gives New Zealand crucial momentum heading into the final match in Thiruvananthapuram and serves as a timely reminder of their threat ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 215/7 (Seifert 62, Conway 44; Arshdeep 2/33, Kuldeep 2/39)
India: 165/10 (Dube 65, Rinku 39; Santner 3/26, Duffy 2/30)
Result: New Zealand won by 50 runs.
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