India may have pocketed the five-match T20I series 3-2, but Sunday’s crushing seven-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Hamilton exposed several cracks that will concern the team management ahead of the ODI leg starting on Nov 4.For the second successive match, India’s bowling lacked penetration and their fielding failed to back it up as New Zealand chased down 192 with ease at Seddon Park. Tim Seifert blasted a breathtaking 93 off 50 balls, while Glenn Phillips capped a dream series with an unbeaten 65 off 38 deliveries as the hosts romped home with 12 balls to spare.Earlier, Adam Milne’s fiery spell of 4-19 had ensured India were restricted to 191-8 despite half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer.The biggest talking point before the match was India’s continued reluctance to hand teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi an opportunity despite the game being a dead rubber. Instead, Sanju Samson retained his place and endured another disappointing outing, falling for four. Apart from his 67 in the opening match, Samson failed to make an impact in the series and compounded a poor evening by dropping Phillips on 31.India’s innings appeared set for a grandstand finish after Kishan and Iyer launched a counterattack following early setbacks. Abhishek Sharma fell for one while Samson’s struggles continued, leaving India under pressure at 18-2.Kishan, returning after missing two matches because of a low-grade adductor strain, looked in sublime touch from the outset. The left-hander hammered 61 off just 32 balls, striking five fours and five sixes. At the other end, Iyer finally rediscovered his rhythm, racing to a 22-ball fifty, his fastest in T20Is. The pair added 93 runs in only 43 balls for the third wicket and powered India to 111-2 after 10 overs. A total in excess of 200 looked possible at that stage.However, New Zealand’s bowlers staged an impressive comeback. Blair Tickner dismissed Kishan while Nathan Smith removed Iyer with a well-directed short ball. Milne’s pace and bounce troubled the lower order and India managed only 80 runs in the second half of the innings. Naman Dhir’s 33 and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s 22 provided late impetus, but the visitors ultimately finished short of what would have been a par score.The chase belonged almost entirely to New Zealand. Seifert survived an early reprieve when Naman Dhir dropped him on 13 and made India pay dearly. He added 73 runs with Daryl Mitchell before combining with Phillips in an 86-run stand for the third wicket that effectively ended the contest.Phillips once again showcased why he is among the most destructive T20 batters in the world in the middle order. Fresh from his century in the previous match, he struck eight fours and three sixes and finished the series with a record-breaking 341 runs in five matches.There was one bright spot for India. Kishan’s knock took his tally to 1,220 T20I runs in 2026, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a calendar year and helping him cross the 2,000-run milestone in T20Is.
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