New Zealand erupted for a mammoth 259/7 at Eden Park, with Glenn Phillips smashing 107 off 49 balls and Jacob Duffy taking a tidy 4/23 to dismantle India’s chase.
Phillips’ ton was powered by six fours and ten sixes, the third century of his T20I career, while Adam Bracewell chipped in with a quick 65 off 25. The hosts’ bowlers were equally ruthless: Duffy’s early double‑wicket blitz sent Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan packing, and Mitchell Santner took two more wickets, leaving India with only 172 for 9.
The turning point came in the 16th over when Phillips erupted for four straight sixes, forcing India to concede 32 runs in a single over and blowing the momentum wide open. By the 18th over, New Zealand were cruising, having already posted 200 before the final five overs added a record 59.
India’s bowlers struggled to stem the tide: Mayank Yadav was the best with 3/48, but Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy each claimed a single wicket, and Arshdeep became the first Indian bowler to reach 150 T20I wickets. Shreyas Iyer, who had steered India to a 3‑1 series lead, was dismissed for 22 off 11, and the team’s morale visibly dipped as the innings collapsed.
With the series still locked at 3‑1, India will look to salvage pride in the final match of the five‑game set, while New Zealand will celebrate the end of India’s long‑standing 10‑match unbeaten run in New Zealand.