Jacob Duffy And Glenn Phillips Star As New Zealand Hammer India

Century-maker Glenn Phillips and fast bowler Jacob Duffy delivered the complete performance New Zealand had been searching for, as the hosts claimed a commanding 87-run victory over a disappointing India in the fourth T20I on Friday. India, led by Shreyas Iyer, had already secured the five-match series by winning the opening three games, but the result helped New Zealand open their account and reduce the deficit to 3-1. Phillips smashed a 49-ball 107 and shared a blistering fifth-wicket partnership of 115 runs from just 41 deliveries with Michael Bracewell (65 off 25 balls), powering New Zealand to 259/7 after being asked to bat first.

It was the highest T20I total ever scored against India. In reply, the visitors suffered their first major batting collapse of the tour, finishing on 172/9 on a surface that offered a bit of extra bounce.

India needed a strong start to challenge the imposing target, but Duffy (4/23) dashed those hopes by dismissing Sanju Samson (4) and Ishan Kishan (0) in the very first over.

The visitors never recovered from that disastrous beginning. Their highest partnership of the innings was a 46-run stand for the third wicket between Iyer and Abhishek Sharma.

Abhishek, unusually subdued by his standards, scored 27 off 15 balls before holing out to New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner off Matthew Fisher.

Santner had remarked earlier in the series that New Zealand were close to producing a complete performance, and his side finally delivered.

Iyer's brief counterattack ended on 22 from 11 balls when Adam Milne's 143kph delivery crashed into the stumps.

Santner was once again effective with the ball, returning 2/23 and ensuring India's batters never built any sustained momentum.

At 61/4 after the powerplay, India's chase quickly unravelled.

Earlier, Phillips and Bracewell spearheaded a brutal assault on the Indian bowling attack.

After Tim Seifert (3) and Daryl Mitchell (24) fell to Mayank Yadav, New Zealand rebuilt through a 59-run partnership between Phillips and Finn Allen (31 off 17 balls).

Following the dismissals of Allen and Bevon Jacobs (7), Phillips and Bracewell shifted gears dramatically, taking the attack to the Indian bowlers.

Phillips first targeted Prince Yadav, striking a six and two boundaries, before unleashing a devastating assault on Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Having reached his half-century in 31 balls, Phillips smashed Reddy for 32 runs in the 16th over, including four consecutive sixes.

The final maximum of the sequence, launched straight over the sightscreen, was among the highlights of a sensational innings.

Bracewell was equally destructive, particularly against left-arm spinner Axar Patel, from whom he collected three fours and a six in one over.

The left-hander raced to a 50 off just 18 balls and consistently kept the pressure on India.

Mayank remained India's standout bowler, troubling batters with sustained pace in the mid-140kph range.

However, Bracewell also used that pace to good effect, dispatching him for back-to-back sixes via a flick and a scoop.

Bracewell eventually fell lbw to Prince shortly after reaching his fifty, but Phillips continued his onslaught.

The pair transformed New Zealand's innings from 112/4 in the 11th over to 227/5 in the 18th, effectively taking the game away from India.

Phillips brought up his third T20I century in just 46 balls with a towering straight six off Arshdeep Singh, who later claimed his 150th T20I wicket to become the first Indian bowler to reach the milestone.

Phillips' second fifty came in only 15 deliveries, underlining New Zealand's complete dominance.

Although he was eventually dismissed by Reddy after crossing three figures, the damage had already been done, with New Zealand plundering 85 runs from the final five overs.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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