India vs New Zealand highlights, 4th T20I: New Zealand beat India by 50 runs

India vs New Zealand highlights, 4th T20I: Shivam Dube produced a blazing half-century of rare quality, but it wasn’t enough to save India from a 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I on Wednesday. Dube’s explosive 65 off 23 balls (3x4, 7x6) stood out in India’s daunting chase of 216, yet the hosts were eventually bowled out for 165 as the Kiwis pulled the series back to 3-1.

With Ishan Kishan sidelined due to injury, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were tasked with setting up the chase. Instead, Abhishek departed first ball, slicing Matt Henry to Devon Conway at deep point. Suryakumar followed soon after, his gentle push brilliantly snaffled by Jacob Duffy in his follow-through, leaving India reeling at 9 for two.

Rinku Singh (39) and Sanju Samson (24) attempted to stabilise the innings but struggled to accelerate, both in the Powerplay and beyond. Rinku was trapped lbw by Zak Foulkes, while Samson — who had earlier produced a sumptuous flicked six off Duffy — was beaten by Mitchell Santner’s straight one and bowled.

Hardik Pandya also failed to make an impact, and India slid to 82 for five in the 11th over, leaving Dube to shoulder the responsibility alongside Harshit Rana (9).

Unfazed by the soaring asking rate, which hovered around 14, Dube batted with freedom and intent. Given a reprieve on 46 via DRS, he reignited Indian hopes by plundering 29 runs off Ish Sodhi’s third over, smashing a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 6, 6. He raced to his fifty in just 15 balls with a six over square leg off Duffy.

The sixth-wicket stand added 63 runs, though Rana’s contribution amounted to just four. Dube’s remarkable innings ended in cruel fashion when Rana’s straight drive deflected off Matt Henry’s hand and crashed into the non-striker’s stumps, catching Dube well short. That moment effectively ended India’s chase.

Earlier, New Zealand’s innings was anchored by Tim Seifert’s scintillating half-century. Seifert struck 62 off 36 balls (7x4, 3x6) and was the standout performer, though he lacked sustained support after India tightened the screws through the middle overs.

Fresh from the Big Bash League, Seifert began aggressively, carving Arshdeep Singh for three consecutive fours — two off edges — before launching Harshit Rana for a towering six over long-on. He continued his assault in Rana’s next over with a six and four, and then sent Jasprit Bumrah to the sight-screen for another maximum.

New Zealand raced to 50 in the fourth over and reached 71 without loss in the Powerplay. Seifert’s tempo allowed Devon Conway (44) to settle before accelerating. After crawling to 9 off 9 balls, Conway found his range, taking Ravi Bishnoi for two fours and a six, and then added 35 runs from his next 13 deliveries.

However, Conway perished trying to clear deep cover off Kuldeep Yadav, ending a 100-run opening partnership. Seifert soon completed a 25-ball fifty, but India clawed back with four wickets for 37 runs, reducing New Zealand to 137 for four in 13.4 overs.

While there was no single magical spell, India benefited from the visitors’ eagerness to sustain the early run rate of 12 an over. That over-ambition triggered a mini-collapse. Daryl Mitchell (39 not out off 18 balls) provided late impetus with some clean striking, lifting New Zealand beyond the 200 mark.

17:00 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: 'It seems almost impossible to beat this Indian team'

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan expressed immense confidence in India’s chances for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying, "It seems almost impossible to beat this Indian team" and stop India from retaining its title.

Pathan’s remarks came after the defending champions recorded an 8-wicket win over New Zealand to seal an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, showcasing aggressive and swashbuckling batting in all three matches so far. He said that such displays by the Indian batters send a strong message to other teams ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, chased down 154 in just 10 overs at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium in the third T20I, despite losing Sanju Samson for a golden duck. Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were at the heart of the batting fireworks, with Abhishek scoring an unbeaten 68 off just 20 balls, including seven fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 340, while Suryakumar made 57 not out off 26 deliveries.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan noted that India looks almost unbeatable, playing fearless and unreal cricket that puts even the biggest teams under pressure. He lauded their aggressive mindset, noting that even after losing early wickets, the approach never changes, leaving bowlers with no safe zone.

"It seems almost impossible to beat this Indian team. It looks like whoever comes against them will be completely destroyed. That's the kind of cricket they are playing. The Indian team is playing unreal cricket. And their approach is amazing. It's an approach that scares the big teams of the world like Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies. In Guwahati, you say it's 150 runs, right? Even when wickets fall early, like Sanju Samson getting out on the first ball, there's no change in their approach, and they still manage to score 16 runs in the same over where a wicket was taken. As a bowler, you feel safe after taking a wicket, but there's no safe zone against the Indian team," Pathan said.

He added that India is sending a strong warning ahead of the World Cup.

"The Indian team is absolutely terrifying the teams that will be playing in the upcoming World Cup, sending a message that they should beware, as there's no room for error against them," the former cricketer said.

India, co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka from February 7, are red-hot favourites. Abhishek Sharma (152 runs in three T20Is) will look to carry his form forward, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav (171 runs) remains a key threat. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has impressed with figures of 3/17 in four overs, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya has contributed strongly with both bat

16:42 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: 'I still want to perform on the world stage' - Lockie

Lockie Ferguson said he was thrilled to be back in the national setup after an injury-hit 2025.

"Yeah, really happy to be back with the Black Caps. I love being part of this group. Nice to be back in India as well. So, looking forward to hopefully partaking at some point.

"Challenging 2025 for sure. But I still want to get better. I still want to perform on the world stage. I think being in a World Cup picture is nice. Obviously, there's some water to go under the bridge for me before then. I want to test myself against the best in the world.

"So, rehab sucks. Injuries suck. There's no doubt about it. I think there's been a lot of injuries in world cricket. It's been challenging for the fast bowlers," he added.

Ferguson expressed hope that New Zealand would bounce back from their T20I series defeat and perform well in next month’s World Cup, to be played across India and Sri Lanka.

"There's very different grounds and wickets in India, certainly over the last five, ten years, they have become outstanding. They're good wickets to bat on and make it challenging for bowlers. But you can see bowlers have developed their skills throughout that.

"Obviously, India's going very nicely now, but we'll have some different competition in the World Cup. So, it's adjusting to the ground.

"The conditions change all the time, which is why it's so exciting. So, the Black Caps have been very good at that for a long period of time and I'm sure it won't change," he noted.

16:26 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: 'Historically New Zealand have peaked well during the ICC events'

New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram on Tuesday expressed hope that his side would be able to move on from their heavy defeats against India in the ongoing T20I series and hit their stride at next month’s T20 World Cup.

The Kiwis had entered the five-match series full of confidence after clinching their maiden ODI series victory in India, but they have struggled to contain a relentless Indian top order.

"Well, the easy answer is that we win these two games (4th and 5th T20Is) and that would be nice for the overall team confidence. I said before about guys coming back from niggles and injury layoffs, guys finding their own individual confidence, but to win games is nice," Oram said at the pre-match press conference here.

However, Oram acknowledged that the focus had to extend beyond the immediate results, with the ICC event looming large.

"To sing our winning team song after a nice victory against a good side would be cool, but at the same time you've got to look a bit deeper than wins and losses.

"And that's not downplaying the results here, but we've got to make sure that we're looking at the longer term and the bigger picture as well. And historically New Zealand have peaked well during the ICC events.

"Despite the results (in the ongoing T20I series), if we come out better off for it, and we're somewhere near the Super 8s in the semifinals and the final (of T20 WC), this will be a great period for us," he said.

Asked how the side plans to remain composed amid sustained pressure from aggressive Indian batting, Oram pointed to New Zealand’s natural ability to stay level-headed.

"I think we have an ability to stay calm amidst the storm that is currently happening and I think that is part and parcel of who we are as a team and probably as New Zealanders as well. We don't get too high or low and we know we're not playing as well as we can.

"At the same time we know that this Indian team is so good. So, we've got to make sure that we keep our eye on the longer term. I think that's part of the reason why we are able to peak for ICC events. And if that happens in February, March, then that's great," he added.

The former New Zealand all-rounder also said the potential return of express pacer Lockie Ferguson could add a fresh dimension to the bowling attack.

"He'll go through a battery of tests, if you want to call it that, where he's bowling, fielding and coming out to bowl. It almost simulates spells where he's going up and down in his energy and we're hoping to have him back for the back end of the series," Oram said.

16:24 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: Suryakumar moves back into Top-10

Indian cricket team's captain Surya Kumar Yadav is back in the top ten batters list in the latest ICC T20I rankings released on Wednesday. He has moved up by five places and is currently placed at seventh position, following a prolific run in the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which India is currently leading by 3-0.

The Indian skipper, who was struggling to get runs in the shortest format, played a match-winning knock of 82 runs in the second match and also ended his 468-day half-century drought. Suryakumar continued this momentum in the next match as he scored 57 runs off just 26 balls.

India's opener Abhishek Sharma also strengthened his position at the top with a blistering 68-run innings in the third T20I. With 929 points, he has increased his advantage at the top to 80 rating points.

India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also gained four places to move to 13th in the bowlers' ranking after three wickets against the Blackcaps in that third T20I, with teammate Varun Chakravarthy still maintaining his position at the top, following a splendid performance against the Blackcaps.

All-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube continued to gain in the rankings after performing well in the ongoing series. Hardik is up by one spot to move to third, while Dube jumps five places to be placed at eleven.

New Zealand's all-rounder Glenn Phillips has moved 18 places to be placed at 44 in the batters ranking following a good run against India. While South Africa's captain Aiden Markram has moved to the 20th number, and West Indies hard-hitter Brandon King has also moved 15 places.

Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman, South Africa's Corbin Bosch and West Indies seamer Matthew Forde have moved up by five, eight, and nineteen spots in the bowlers ranking.

England's top batting pair of Harry Brook and Joe Root helped their team win the ODI series against Sri Lanka. As a result, Brook has moved to 11th position, and Root is up by six spots to move to 17th in the ODI batters ranking.

16:23 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: 'Sanju Samson is one knock away'

Struggling opener Sanju Samson received a strong show of support, with India bowling coach Morne Morkel backing the batter to turn things around, saying he is just one innings away from rediscovering his form.

Samson has managed only 16 runs across three T20Is so far, with a top score of 10, even as fellow top-order batters Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav have gone hard at the New Zealand attack.

"Sanju is one knock away from getting that confidence, getting that form back. For us, building up to the World Cup it's important for the guys to find that peak performance at the right time. He's training well, he's hitting the ball very well," Morkel said on the eve of the fourth T20I here.

Although it was an optional training session, Samson spent over 30 minutes in the nets, taking throwdowns and facing a range of bowlers including Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Abhishek and side-armer Raghu.

After a tentative start, Samson began to look more fluent, timing the ball sweetly and sending a few deliveries to the far corners of the ACA-VDCA Stadium.

The Kerala batter later had an extended discussion with head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak near the nets, while Shreyas Iyer continued his practice nearby. The coaches were seen patiently offering guidance and inputs to the out-of-form batter.

Morkel, however, insisted he was not overly concerned about Samson’s lack of runs, stressing that team success takes precedence over individual returns.

"So, I think it's just a matter of time for him to get his foot on the board. But the main focus is that the team is winning, and I think that's important. We're 3-0 up in this series at the moment, the boys are playing some very good cricket.

"We've got a couple of games now before the start of the World Cup, and I have no doubt that Sanju will find his form," added the South African.

16:23 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: Will Bishnoi play today?

In that backdrop, India could weigh up retaining Bishnoi, who returned figures of 4-0-18-2 in Guwahati, and bringing Chakravarthy back in place of Kuldeep to give the latter a breather. The hosts will also monitor Axar Patel’s fitness, with the all-rounder sidelined since the opening match in Nagpur due to a finger injury.

While the bowling combinations are still settling, India’s batting has been in devastating form. The revamped top order has transformed the side’s T20 approach, with the third match resembling an extended Power Play. Abhishek has struck at over 300, while Suryakumar and Kishan have hovered close to 230.

Such has been the ferocity of the batting that India have spent a combined 25.2 overs chasing 209 and 154 in the last two games. With the Visakhapatnam pitch and dew expected to aid run-scoring again, another high-scoring affair seems likely.

One concern, though, is Sanju Samson’s lean run despite opening the innings. His tally of 16 runs in three matches has made for a difficult series, though with Tilak Varma still unavailable, Samson is likely to get another opportunity, possibly at No. 3.

For New Zealand, little has clicked. While their batters have shown brief flashes, the bowlers have struggled to contain India’s onslaught. Jacob Duffy, with an economy of 10.30, has been their most economical, with the rest enduring heavy punishment. Unless the visitors find quick answers, another tough outing could be on the cards.

Teams (from):

India: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Tim Seifert.

16:22 (IST) Jan 28

IND vs NZ Live Score, 4th T20I: Hello and welcome!

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of 4th T20I match between India and New Zealand at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

With the series already wrapped up, India will look for an upturn in their spinners’ showing as they aim to stretch their dominance over New Zealand in the fourth T20I here on Wednesday.

The batting blitz unleashed by Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, which has powered India to a 3-0 lead, has so far papered over the below-par returns from frontline spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.

Kuldeep has managed two wickets in as many matches but has been far from his elusive best, leaking runs at 9.5 an over.

The left-arm wrist spinner endured three costly overs that went for 32 runs even as India restricted the Kiwis to 153 for nine, helped by excellent spells from Jasprit Bumrah, Ravi Bishnoi and Hardik Pandya. His struggles mirror the preceding ODI series, where he claimed three wickets across three games at an economy of 7.28.

Chakravarthy, who sat out the third T20I, presents a slightly different case, having featured in two high-scoring contests in which New Zealand posted 190 and 208.

However, the usual sharpness has been missing from his bowling, and the brief break may have helped him recharge.

India vs New Zealand highlights, 4th T20I: Shivam Dube blazed away with a fifty of the highest quality, but his lone assault was not enough to save India from a 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I on Wednesday. Chasing a daunting 216, India were bowled out for 165, despite Dube’s superb 65 off 23 balls (3 fours, 7 sixes), as the visitors pulled the series back to 3-1.

With Ishan Kishan sidelined due to injury, the onus was on Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav to set the tone. Instead, India suffered an immediate setback as Abhishek fell to the very first ball, skying Matt Henry to Devon Conway at deep point.

Suryakumar followed soon after, his tentative push turning into a stunning caught-and-bowled effort by Jacob Duffy, leaving India reeling at 9 for 2. Rinku Singh (39) and Sanju Samson (24) attempted to steady the innings, but momentum remained elusive both inside and outside the Powerplay.

Rinku was trapped lbw by Zak Foulkes, while Samson, after playing a delightful flicked six off Duffy, was deceived by Mitchell Santner and bowled. Hardik Pandya failed to make an impact as well, as India slid to 82 for five in the 11th over, leaving Dube and Harshit Rana (9) with a steep task.

Unfazed by the mounting asking rate, Dube batted with remarkable freedom and authority. Given a lifeline via DRS on 46, he reignited Indian hopes by smashing 29 runs off Ish Sodhi’s third over, striking a brutal sequence of 4, 6, 4, 6, 6.

The left-hander brought up a stunning 15-ball fifty with a six over square leg off Duffy. Dube and Rana added 63 runs for the sixth wicket, though Rana’s personal contribution amounted to just four runs.

India’s hopes finally evaporated when Dube was run out in cruel fashion. Rana’s fierce straight drive deflected off Henry’s hand and crashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with Dube well short of his ground — a moment that effectively sealed India’s fate.

Earlier, New Zealand’s innings was built around a scintillating half-century from Tim Seifert. The wicketkeeper-batter struck 62 off 36 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes), setting the platform even though he lacked substantial support deep into the innings.

Fresh from the Big Bash League, Seifert began aggressively, striking Arshdeep Singh for three consecutive fours — two via edges — before launching Harshit Rana over long-on for six. He continued his onslaught in subsequent overs, taking Rana and Jasprit Bumrah to task as New Zealand raced to 50 in just four overs and reached 71 without loss at the end of the Powerplay.

Seifert’s aggression allowed Devon Conway (44) the time to settle before accelerating. After starting slowly with 9 off 9 balls, Conway found his rhythm against Ravi Bishnoi, collecting two fours and a six in an over. He added 35 runs off his next 13 deliveries before holing out to Rinku Singh at deep cover off Kuldeep Yadav, breaking the 100-run opening stand.

Seifert completed his fifty off 25 balls, but India clawed their way back by taking four wickets for 37 runs, reducing New Zealand to 137 for four in the 13.4th over. While there were no standout spells, Indian bowlers benefitted from the visitors’ eagerness to maintain the high scoring rate set by the openers.

Daryl Mitchell provided the late impetus with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls, striking cleanly at the death to propel New Zealand past the 200-run mark — a total that ultimately proved far beyond India’s reach.