IND Vs NZ Highlights, 4th T20I: New Zealand Crush India By 50 Runs As Dube’s Blitz Goes In Vain

Good Evening to all our readers joining us for the live coverage of the 4th T20I between India and New Zealand. This is the start of our blog, stay tuned for the real-time updates, live scores and all the build-up.

The IND vs NZ fixture will be televised live in India on the Star Sports Network and Fans can also livestream the match on the Jio Hotstar app and website. 

Total matches - 28

India Wins - 18

New Zealand Wins - 10

No Results - 0

India head into the 4th T20I as clear favourites after dominating the series and enjoying home conditions in Visakhapatnam. Prediction models heavily back India, giving them roughly a 78% win chance, compared to 22% for New Zealand. India’s batting depth and spin options suit the surface, while New Zealand will need early wickets and a sharper all-round effort to pull off an upset.

India have won the toss and have opted to field first against New Zealand.

New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

Conway and Seifert are in the middle with Arshdeep Singh opening the bowling attack, and Seifert wastes no time making an impact, a sharp outswinger induces a top edge that Bumrah can’t quite control at third man and it runs away for four, then Seifert makes room to a back-of-a-length ball and smashes it cleanly for another boundary, before a similar whip brings yet another top edge that flies down to the fence, three fours in a row, and Seifert is suddenly on fire early.

Conway steps up to Ravi Bishnoi and doesn’t hold back, a length ball right in the slot and he absolutely clubs it over deep mid-wicket. That’s a massive six! New Zealandes race to 71 from the powerplay, and Conway is sending a message early.

Bumrah strikes back in his second over. Ravindra steps up, tries to work a slower back-of-a-length delivery with a wristy shot, and ends up chipping it straight back to Bumrah, who takes it cleanly in his follow-through.

Caught and bowled. New Zealandes lose their second wicket in quick succession, ending the rollicking partnership that had them flying early. Ravindra gone for 2 off 4.

Seifert matches the blistering pace of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who both reached 50 in 25 balls against India in Auckland back in 2020.

Ravi Bishnoi bowls short, and Phillips is ready, he picks it early and punches it crisply towards wide long-off. Perfect timing, and that races away for four.

Arshdeep Singh strikes as the bowling change pays off! Seifert, looking to attack a short, wide, slightly slower delivery outside off, goes after it hard, only to slice it straight to long-off where Rinku Singh takes it cleanly, his second catch of the evening after Conway’s earlier.

A brilliant knock from the Kiwi opener ends at 62 off 36, with seven fours and three sixes, and India finally breaks through.

Dangerous Glenn Phillips departs and it is Kuldeep Yadav who strikes. Turns into the batter who tries to access the down the ground area for a boundary. For a long time, it looked like he did get a boundary, but Rinku Singh covered quick ground to grab the catch. Phillips departs for 24 off 16 deliveries.

New Zealand scalp another decent over out of Harshit Rana. Mark Chapman smashes one straight down the ground and then in the last ball of the over, Daryl Mitchell drills one over long-on in his signature style. Harshit used his variations well but still two deliveries end up as boundaries.

New Zealand batters keep losing their wickets under pressure. First, Mark Chapman holes out in the square leg area trying to take on Ravi Bishnoi. Bishnoi's ball kept sliding on and Chapman moved across to launch it over square. Didn't find enough timing.

Mitchell Santner joins him in the pavilion soon. Hardik Pandya shows excellent awareness to nail a direct hit to the non-striker's end from the short third man area. Despite the dive, Santner falls short. New Zealand has collapsed here.

Rinku Singh has been extremely impressive with his fielding in this match and he takes his fourth catch of the day. Zakary Foulkes was trying to pick up the momentum which slowed down in the past few overs. Despite hitting a six, he loses his wicket in the last ball of the over. Arshdeep Singh's delivery was on middle and leg and he picked it up straight. Only got height and not distance. Rinku Singh settles to take a very good catch again.

The second half of the innings for New Zealand has not been the same the first half was. Despite that, they made their way past the 200-run mark with one over to go. Daryl Mitchell is still out on the crease and he will want to give New Zealand the best chance by finishing strong.

14 runs off the last over for New Zealand and they will be happy with how they finish things. Daryl Mitchell plays an important knock here. Came in when New Zealand were losing wickets in quick succession and then plays a hand of 18-ball 39 to take New Zealand's score to a competitive place.

Still India pulled things back well after the Kiwis scored 100 in just 8 overs without losing any wickets. The hosts are short of batting firepower in this game and they will look ahead to perform well in that test as they are eying a preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

What a start for New Zealand! Abhishek Sharma, in his signature style, tries to smack the first ball for a six. Slice is as Matt Henry got some movement off the deck. The ball went high and was dipping on Devon Conway at deep backward point. Despite that, he dives and pockets the ball. It is a sensational catch from Conway and the Kiwis are off to a brilliant start. Abhishek departs for duck.

Jacob Duffy ends his first over with a brilliant caught and bowled dismissal. The pitch has behaved like this the entire day and Duffy gets some purchase off it by hitting the deck. Hits Suryakumar Yadav high on the bat as he tries to drive it and Duffy gets low on his follow through to get his fingertips under the ball. Another stunning catch and Suryakumar has to go back despite a positive start.

New Zealand shift momentum in their favour early in the game as they pick up the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Rinku Singh has been promoted up the order and along with Sanju Samson, he tries to shift the momentum back in favour of India.

Mitchell Santner gives New Zealand a much-needed breakthrough. Sanju Samson was looking dangerous and was starting to nail some boundaries. Captain Santner brings himself to attack and rattles the stumps of Samson. Samson moved to legside to open up the off-side and in the attempt ends up exposing all his stumps. Santner didn't miss. India suffer a setback here.

Mitchell Santner keeps troubling India as he now dismisses Hardik Pandya. Pandya was the in-form batter and one of his explosive cameos could shift momentum in India's favour. But his wicket was manufactured by Ish Sodhi, who is extracting enough turn from the surface. It forces Pandya to go hard on Santner, and the slice is receiving gratefully by the fielder on the edge of the circle. Rinku keep resistance on from one side.

India are now in deep trouble. They have lost half their side and yet to reach the 100-run mark. Rinku Singh is the last one to fall. He was keeping the innings together but his stay ends with a moment of brainfade. Looks to cross bat Zak Foulkes for a push on the onside but ends up missing it completely and gets wrapped on the pads in front of wicket. Big blow for Team India.

Massive over for India and Shivam Dube changes momentum of the game. After starting so well, Ish Sodhi gets absolutely demolished. Dube's spin-hitting prowess is much appreciated and he shows his touch by taking on the spinner. Races to 40 runs off 12 balls and keeps India alive in the game.

Shivam Dube survives a close call and then carries on his explosive striking and brings up his half-century in just 15 deliveries. This is the third-fastest half-century scored by an Indian in T20s. Dube gets hold on Jacob Duffy as well and keeps India going strongly in the chase, despite a tight situation in hand.

Unfortunate end to a brilliant innings from Shivam Dube. He suffers the most unlucky of dismissals as he is run-out at the non-striker's end. Harshit Rana smashes Matt Henry's delivery back down the ground and Henry gets a hand on the ball before it hits the stumps. Just at that point, Shivam Dube was out from the safety of the crease. Dube departs after a brave knock of 65 off 23.

Mitchell Santner slows it right down, tossing it up at 77.1kph and getting it to spin away just enough. Jasprit Bumrah drops low for the slog-sweep, but the length isn’t quite there for the shot.

A top-edge balloons up and Ish Sodhi, stationed at short fine leg, makes no mistake with a sharp catch. Bumrah’s cameo ends quickly for 4 off 2, and Santner picks up another wicket.

New Zealand defeated India by 50 runs in the fourth T20I, taking a 3-1 series lead. Shivam Dube’s 65 off 23 balls kept India in the chase, but early wickets and a late run-out saw them all out for 165. New Zealand posted 215/6, led by Tim Seifert’s 62, Devon Conway’s 44, and Daryl Mitchell’s 39*.

That's a wrap! We’ll be back with another live blog soon, bye bye.