India won the New Zealand T20I series 3–2 despite a seven-wicket loss in the Hamilton final
Glenn Phillips headlined the hosts' late fightback, finishing as the top run-scorer of the series
India now transition to ODIs and Tests in New Zealand, with their next T20I seven weeks away
India’s T20I tour of New Zealand ended on a flat note. They lost the final match at Seddon Park in Hamilton by seven wickets but still took the series 3-2, thanks to the three wins in the opening games. India won the first two matches in Christchurch, then sealed the series in Wellington by chasing 199 in just 13.2 overs, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive batting.
New Zealand’s fightback came late, with wins in Auckland and Hamilton. Glenn Phillips led it with a record-breaking 341 runs for the series, but it was not enough to overturn India’s early lead. Phillips’s heroics gave the hosts a consolation, while India head home with the trophy and a few batting questions to ponder.
The wait for the next T20I is a long one. India now move to the longer formats, and the ODI series in New Zealand begins on November 4, followed by two Tests, the second finishing in Christchurch on December 1. That leaves about seven weeks without a T20I.
When Will India Play Their Next T20I Match?
India’s next T20I is against Sri Lanka. The first match is at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Tuesday, December 22, at 7:00 PM IST. The second is on December 24 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, and the third on December 27 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
All three are night games with the same start time. A three-match ODI series between the sides, starting December 13 in Delhi, precedes the T20Is, which close out India’s 2026 home international season.
After that, the T20I calendar goes quiet again. Zimbabwe visit in January for three ODIs, and Australia arrive later that month for a five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy running from January 21 to March 3, with no T20I fixtures in either series.
