IND vs NZ, 4th T20I: Phillips, Duffy lead New Zealand to dominant win

Glenn Phillips became only the second New Zealand batter after Colin Munro to score a T20I century against India. | Photo Credit: AP

Glenn Phillips’ century and Jacob Duffy’s four-wicket haul helped New Zealand record a massive 87-run win over India in the fourth T20I in Auckland on Friday.

With the result, New Zealand registered its first win of the T20I series, but trails 1-3 heading into the final game of the T20I leg on November 1 in Seddon Park, Hamilton.

Earlier, India won the toss and chose to bowl, in the hope the ensuing contest would favour the chasing team, as evidenced by the first three games.

Phillips’ century, however, extinguished India’s chances of recording its fourth straight successful chase. The middle-order batter continued his rich vein of form, as he became only the second New Zealand batter after Colin Munro to hit a T20I century against India.

Phillips found able support from Michael Bracewell, who struck a whirlwind 25-ball 65 as the duo combined to deflate the Indian bowling attack in the middle overs. India’s bowlers all went for runs except Arshdeep Singh, who was the only bowler to have an economy rate under ten.

Phillips and Bracewell’s knock helped New Zealand amass 259/7, a winning total on most days. But after India overhauled 199 in under 14 overs in the fourth T20I, Mitchell Santner would have pondered if his side had enough runs on the board. Those doubts and apprehensions were put to rest after Jacob Duffy’s opening spell.

The fast bowler got rid of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the first over to put India in the backfoot early in the chase. With no Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma back in the dugout before he could convert his start to a big score (27 off 15 balls), India’s gunpowder was essentially wiped out.

The rest of the batting lineup fell to rash shots while trying to keep up with the climbing asking rate. Duffy finished with figures of 4/23, while Santner (2/24) bowled four miserly overs to deny India any chance of a comeback.