4th T20i: Phillips, Duffy guide NZ to big win over India

Auckland: New Zealand gave India a taste of their own medicine as Glenn Phillips’ century and Jacob Duffy’s four-wicket haul powered the hosts to a massive 87-run win in the fourth T20I at Eden Park here on Friday.

Phillips smashed 107 off 49 balls, while Michael Bracewell contributed 65 off 25 deliveries to take New Zealand to a record 259/7. The bowlers then restricted India to 172/9 in the chase. This was New Zealand’s first win in the ongoing T20I series, with India having already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead. The series score now stands at 3-1.

The New Zealand batters launched a relentless assault on the Indian bowlers. Phillips and Bracewell stitched together a 115-run partnership off just 40 balls for the fifth wicket, powering the hosts to their highest T20I total and the highest score against India in the format.

Duffy starred with the ball, delivering a four-wicket haul as India’s batters struggled to cope with the steep target. Despite some resistance, the visitors failed to find boundaries consistently. Naman Dhir (28) and Tilak Varma (35) tried to revive the chase, but Duffy removed Naman in the 12th over following a brilliant relay catch by Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith. Duffy later dismissed Arshdeep Singh for a golden duck.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 259/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 107, Michael Bracewell 65; Mayank Yadav 3-48, Arshdeep Singh 1-38) beat India 172/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 35, Naman Dhir 28; Jacob Duffy 4-23, Mitchell Santner 2-24) by 87 runs.

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