Auckland witnessed a night of pure power hitting on Friday, October 30, as Glenn Phillips smashed a breathtaking century and New Zealand crushed India by 87 runs in the fourth T20I at Eden Park. The hosts posted a mammoth 259 for 7, the highest total any team has scored against India in T20 internationals, and then bowled the visitors out for 172 for 9 to cut India’s series lead to 3-1.
India had already sealed the five-match series by winning the first three games, so Friday’s result did not change the series winner. What it did change was the mood around the tour. The fifth and final match will be played in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1, where India will aim to finish 4-1 and New Zealand will look to make it 3-2.
Phillips turns the game on its head
Phillips walked to the crease with New Zealand at 34 for 2 in the third over, after India had won the toss and chosen to bowl first for the fourth match in a row. What followed was one of the great T20 innings seen on New Zealand soil. The right-hander finished on 107 off just 49 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes, reaching his century in only 46 balls for his third T20I hundred.
The innings had everything: clean striking down the ground, fearless pulls, and a brutal finish. Phillips took 32 runs off one over from Nitish Kumar Reddy in the 16th over, including four consecutive sixes, as New Zealand plundered 85 runs from the last five overs. He was eventually caught by Abhishek Sharma off Reddy in the final over, but by then the damage was done.
Phillips was not alone. Michael Bracewell smashed 65 off 25 balls, and the pair added 115 runs off only 41 deliveries for the fifth wicket. Finn Allen had earlier made 31. Once Phillips and Bracewell got going, India’s bowlers ran out of answers.
India’s bowlers feel the heat
Mayank Yadav was India’s most successful bowler with three wickets for 48 runs, but even that return tells the story of a tough night for the attack. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s four overs cost 64 runs, and the bowling unit as a whole struggled to contain New Zealand once the middle overs began.
Duffy strikes early and India never recover
Chasing 260, India needed a fast start. Instead, they lost Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in Jacob Duffy’s opening over, and the chase never really got going. Duffy finished with four wickets for 23 runs, leading a disciplined New Zealand bowling effort that kept picking up wickets just as India tried to rebuild.
Tilak Varma top-scored for India with 35, but no partnership lasted long enough to threaten the target. India closed on 172 for 9, falling 87 runs short in what was their second-biggest defeat by runs in T20I cricket. It was a rare off night for a batting line-up that had looked unstoppable through the first three games of the series.
What the result means for the series
- Series score: India lead 3-1 with one match left, after winning the first three games.
- Phillips in the series: His 107 took his tally to 276 runs in four matches, making him the leading run-scorer of the series.
- Record total: New Zealand’s 259 for 7 is the highest T20I total scored against India.
- Final match: The decider of pride, if not the series, is in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
For New Zealand, the win was about more than the margin. It was their first victory of the series, their first win over India at Eden Park, and proof that their batting depth can hurt even the best attacks in the world. For India, it was a timely reminder before the finale: in T20 cricket, one extraordinary innings is enough to turn a series scoreline, and a contest, on its head.
India will take confidence from the fact that the series is already won, but Hamilton now carries real stakes. A 4-1 finish would underline their dominance, while a 3-2 finish would let New Zealand end as the stronger team in the closing games.
FAQs
What was the score in the fourth T20I between India and New Zealand?
New Zealand scored 259 for 7 and beat India, who finished on 172 for 9, by 87 runs at Eden Park, Auckland, on October 30, 2026.
How many runs did Glenn Phillips score?
Phillips scored 107 off 49 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes, reaching his century in 46 balls. It was his third T20I century.
Who else starred for New Zealand?
Michael Bracewell scored 65 off 25 balls and shared a 115-run stand off 41 balls with Phillips. Jacob Duffy took four wickets for 23 runs, including two in the first over of India’s chase.
What is the series score now?
India lead the five-match series 3-1. The final match will be played in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
Why does the final match still matter?
The series is already decided in India’s favour, but the finale will decide whether India finish 4-1 or New Zealand pull it back to 3-2, and both teams will want the momentum from the last game.
Phillips walked off to a standing ovation at Eden Park. On a night when India had no answer to his hitting, he produced an innings the series will be remembered for.
