New Zealand delivered an all-round performance to beat India by 50 runs in the fourth T20I on Wednesday. Despite losing the series earlier, the Black Caps bounced back strongly in the fourth match.
Batting first, New Zealand posted an imposing 215 for seven. Openers Tim Seifert and Devon Conway came out attacking from the start. Seifert struck 62 off 36 balls, while Conway made 44 off 23. The duo added 100 runs in just 8.2 overs, putting India on the back foot early.
India managed a partial comeback in the final 10 overs. Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each. However, Daryl Mitchell ensured a strong finish with a brisk 39 off 18 balls, taking the total beyond 200.
During the post-match interaction, the Indian skipper said, “We purposely played six batters. We wanted to have five bowlers and challenge ourselves. We wanted to play the players who were part of the World Cup squad, otherwise we would have played other players. We have been batting well batting first.”
He added,“We wanted us to see how we bat when two or three down while chasing 180-200. With heavy dew, one or two partnerships like Dube batted, one partnership could have made a difference.”
India’s chase got off to the worst possible start. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed on the first ball. Wickets continued to fall, making the task tougher for the hosts.
Shivam Dube provided late resistance with a sensational knock. He smashed 65 off 23 balls, hitting three fours and seven sixes. It was the third-fastest fifty by an Indian in T20Is, but it was not enough.
New Zealand kept tightening the noose with disciplined bowling. India were eventually bowled out for 165, handing the visitors a convincing 50-run victory in Visakhapatnam.
