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Why it matters
India had already won the series, so this defeat does not change the result, but it was New Zealand's first win in the five matches. It also tested India's changes: Ishan Kishan was out for a first-over duck on his return at No. 3, while Mayank Yadav took 3 for 48. The final match on 1 November decides whether India finish 4-1 or 3-2.
New Zealand beat India by 87 runs in the IND vs NZ (India vs New Zealand) 4th T20I at Eden Park, Auckland, on 30 October 2026, their first win of the five-match series. Glenn Phillips hit 107 off 49 balls as New Zealand made 259 for 7 after India chose to bowl, and Jacob Duffy then took 4 for 23 as India finished on 172 for 9, according to the Cricbuzz scorecard.
India had already won the series by taking the first three matches, so the result changes the score to 3-1 rather than the outcome. The last game is in Hamilton on Sunday, 1 November.
IND vs NZ 4th T20I: how Glenn Phillips and Bracewell made 259
India’s bowlers started well. Mayank Yadav, one of two changes to the side, removed Tim Seifert in the first over and trapped Daryl Mitchell leg before in the third. New Zealand were 67 for 2 at the end of the six-over powerplay and 112 for 4 when Bevon Jacobs fell in the 11th over.
Then Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell put on 115 runs in 40 balls for the fifth wicket. Bracewell made 65 off 25 balls with six sixes before Prince Yadav had him leg before. Phillips kept going until the 20th over, when he was caught by Abhishek Sharma off Nitish Kumar Reddy for 107. Glenn Phillips hit six fours and 10 sixes, so 84 of his runs came in boundaries (NewsPlainly’s count from the scorecard).
From 112 for 4, New Zealand scored 147 runs in the last 56 balls of the innings, NewsPlainly’s calculation from the fall of wickets. Nitish Reddy’s four overs cost 64, including one over that went for 32 runs, IANS reported. Mayank Yadav finished with 3 for 48 and was India’s best bowler. Arshdeep Singh took 1 for 38 and, according to the news agency Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), became the first Indian to reach 150 wickets in men’s T20 internationals.
The total of 259 for 7 at Eden Park is New Zealand’s highest in T20 internationals, beating their 254 for 5 against Scotland, IANS reported. IANS and Deccan Herald both said it is also the highest T20I total by any team against India; IANS said it passed the 257 for 3 England made in Southampton earlier this year. The Press Trust of India (PTI) called it the highest T20I total at Eden Park.
Why India’s chase was over early
India needed 260, about 13 an over. The chase lost shape in the first over. Jacob Duffy had Sanju Samson caught behind for 4 off his second ball and then caught Ishan Kishan off his own bowling for a duck three balls later, leaving India at 4 for 2.
Abhishek Sharma (27 off 15) and captain Shreyas Iyer (22 off 11) hit back briefly, and India reached 61 in the powerplay, only six runs fewer than New Zealand. But they had lost four wickets doing it. Matthew Fisher had Abhishek caught at mid-off and Adam Milne bowled Iyer in the sixth over.
Mitchell Santner, New Zealand’s captain, then took two wickets in the ninth over, removing Nitish Reddy and Axar Patel, and India were 89 for 6. Naman Dhir struck 28 off 13 balls before he was caught in the deep in a relay catch by Mitchell and Nathan Smith, IANS reported, and Arshdeep went first ball. At 121 for 8 after 11.3 overs, the match was settled.
Tilak Varma made 35 off 35 balls, the top score, before Seifert took a running, diving catch off Fisher in the 19th over, as IANS described it. Prince Yadav finished unbeaten on 18. Jacob Duffy’s figures were 4 for 23 and Santner’s 2 for 24, the two most economical spells of the match.
The two innings side by side
The gap between the teams came almost entirely from boundaries. New Zealand hit 20 sixes; India hit nine.
| New Zealand | India | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 259 for 7 (20 overs) | 172 for 9 (20 overs) |
| Powerplay (overs 1 to 6) | 67 for 2 | 61 for 4 |
| Fours and sixes | 15 fours, 20 sixes | 14 fours, 9 sixes |
| Runs in boundaries | 180 | 110 |
| Top scorer | Glenn Phillips 107 (49 balls) | Tilak Varma 35 (35 balls) |
| Best bowling | Jacob Duffy 4 for 23 | Mayank Yadav 3 for 48 |
Take boundaries away and the sides were close: New Zealand made 79 runs from other balls and extras, India 62. On a ground where both sides scored freely, New Zealand cleared the rope more than twice as often.
India’s changes: Kishan back, Sooryavanshi left out
With the series already won, India made two changes. Ishan Kishan returned after recovering from a right adductor strain, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making way, and Mayank Yadav replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deccan Herald reported. Kishan kept wicket and batted at No. 3, the scorecard shows. New Zealand brought in Nathan Smith for Kyle Jamieson.
Sooryavanshi had opened in the third T20I in Wellington, where Abhishek Sharma’s 113 off 38 balls took India to a six-wicket win and an unbeatable 3-0 lead. Our report on that match has the details. Mayank’s return brought India’s best bowling figures of the night, while Kishan’s lasted three balls.
What is left in the India vs New Zealand series
The fifth and final T20I is on Sunday, 1 November, at Seddon Park in Hamilton, with a 12.30 pm IST start on the series schedule. India lead 3-1. New Zealand can narrow the final margin to 3-2; India can finish 4-1.
The full scorecard of the 4th T20I is on Cricbuzz.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the IND vs NZ 4th T20I?
New Zealand won by 87 runs at Eden Park, Auckland, on 30 October 2026. They made 259 for 7 and held India to 172 for 9.
Who scored a century in the 4th T20I?
Glenn Phillips scored 107 off 49 balls with six fours and 10 sixes. Michael Bracewell added 65 off 25 balls.
What is the India vs New Zealand T20I series score?
India lead 3-1 after winning the first three matches. The last match is in Hamilton on Sunday, 1 November.
Why did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not play the 4th T20I?
India brought back Ishan Kishan, who had recovered from a right adductor strain, and Sooryavanshi made way, Deccan Herald reported. Mayank Yadav also replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar.