- Seifert, Phillips, Milne set up NZ win as India take series 3-2 New Zealand secured another consolation win after having fallen behind 3-0 in the five-match series The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 New Zealand continued to be generous in the field, dropping two catches and taking a wicket off a no-ball, but it was the one dropped chance by India this time that proved to be crucial.
- Seifert would have been out for 13 off 15 had Naman Dhir, a beneficiary of dropped catches himself, taken the sitter in the fourth over.
- What followed was carnage from both ends as Seifert ended with 93 off 50 and Glenn Phillips added another half-century to aggregate the most runs for anyone in a bilateral series, 341.
Seifert, Phillips, Milne set up NZ win as India take series 3-2 New Zealand secured another consolation win after having fallen behind 3-0 in the five-match series The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 New Zealand continued to be generous in the field, dropping two catches and taking a wicket off a no-ball, but it was the one dropped chance by India this time that proved to be crucial.
Seifert would have been out for 13 off 15 had Naman Dhir, a beneficiary of dropped catches himself, taken the sitter in the fourth over. What followed was carnage from both ends as Seifert ended with 93 off 50 and Glenn Phillips added another half-century to aggregate the most runs for anyone in a bilateral series, 341. India didn’t quite have the bowling resources ideal for the conditions in Hamilton, and the pitch also settled down in the night.
In the first half, New Zealand extracted considerable variation by going into the pitch after Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer had added 93 runs in just 7 overs to take India to 112 for 2 in 10.1 overs. Amid dropped catches and no-balls, though, Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner kept getting wickets before Adam Milne finished with two wickets at the death to go with the scalps of the openers in the powerplay. Jacob Duffy has travelled a bit this series, but gave New Zealand a good first over second time in a row.
He bowled just short of a good length, and drew seam movement. Sanju Samson played five balls for one runs, which was followed by Abhishek Sharma trying to hit Milne out of the ground first ball. The skier ended up with Daryl Mitchell at mid-on.
The bowlers kept Samson stifled even as Kishan got away, which brought about a leading edge to make it 19 for 2 in 3.1 overs. Adam Milne struck with his first ball, taking out Abhishek Sharma, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 art from the odd loose ball, like the leg-stump half-volley Iyer got from Smith first ball, New Zealand didn’t do much wrong, but India’s Nos 3 and 4 ran away from them. They made sure the spinners didn’t even get a sniff, taking 61 runs in overs seven to 10.
This also included a sensational effort from Finn Allen at long-on where half a frame proved to be the difference between Kishan’s wicket and a six. It also included Tickner’s reprieve to Iyer in the middle of a Michael Bracewell over that went for 27. Tickner was asked to lie in the bed that he made, and he responded with the wicket of the rampant Kishan for 61 off 32.
This was actually in Kishan’s swinging arc, but a bit of extra bounce hit the higher part of the bat and resulted in a boundary catch. Excited by the extra bounce, Smith also bashed the middle of the pitch, drawing a top edge from Iyer, who had just brought up his fifty in 22 balls. In his next over, Smith had Tilak Varma but overstepped by the proverbial inch.
He not only recovered to concede just the single off the free hit, but proceeded to produce a caught and bowled off another short ball. Ishan Kishan propped up India after the openers fell early, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 Playing Varun Chakravarthy for the first time this series, India were now looking at their last recognised pair for the last 6.2 overs. New Zealand could have got into the tail even before the death overs had Milne not dropped Dhir in the 16th.
He could be excused, though, as he returned figures of 4-0-19-4 despite bowling only in the powerplay and at the death. At least one of the openers’ lack of fluency against the new ball has been a constant for New Zealand throughout the series. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a tight first over, which was followed by a top edge from Finn Allen in the second.
Seifert was still struggling for his touch when he offered the second catch, which would have made it 17 for 2 in 3.2 but Dhir shelled it at deep point. It is highly likely New Zealand would have won the second T20I had they not been generous with dropped catches and no-balls. This time, they cashed in on the mistake from India.
The remaining 15 balls of the powerplay produced 41 runs including five sixes. Seifert just started hitting everything straight now; two of his sixes off Bhuvneshwar ended up at the same spot in the camera gallery. The momentum continued with a six each for Daryl Mitchell and Seifert in the seventh and eighth overs, but Abhishek pulled off a special catch diving forward at long-off to send Mitchell back.
At this time New Zealand needed 111 off 69 balls, which began to look challenging as Varun troubled Phillips at the start of his innings. Glenn Phillips scored yet another half-century, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 The next two overs, though, were bowled by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhishek, and produced 25 runs. Iyer hadn’t yet bowled any of his fifth bowler’s quota in the first nine overs so it is understandable he went to it the moment he got a wicket, but bowling two in a row was almost a throw of the dice especially on a pitch friendly to seam bowlers more than spinners.
Arshdeep came back, pulled things back with just three off the first four balls of the 12th over, but consecutive fours from Seifert at the end of the over turned the momentum irreversibly towards New Zealand. Even Varun lost his length, going for 31 in his last two. Seifert and Phillips were now middling everything, but an inside edge off Reddy ended Seifert’s innings seven short of what would have been a maiden T20I hundred.
Phillips, though, continued his record-breaking run and made sure there were no hiccups in the home stretch. Tim Seifert picked up the pace after an early reprieve, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 A length ball on the pads. Samson looks to go leg side but gets a leading edge over extra cover.
Bracewell runs back sideways and takes it over his shoulder while tumbling down and he strikes straightaway. It was just short of good length. Abhishek cleared his front leg and decided to go aerial, but he didn’t get the timing right and a back-pedalling mid-on completed a comfortable catch Tickner makes amends, gets Kishan after the break .
Straight down deep midwicket’s throat. Tickner lands it on a length, angling back into Kishan on off stump. The batter looks to swat it across the line but gets it off the higher part of the blade, sending it straight to Smith, who makes no mistake.
The short ball brings about Iyer’s downfall. A skiddy, short-of-a-length delivery on off stump at 136kph. Iyer is hurried into the pull and gets only a top edge, which balloons straight up for Seifert to take the simplest of catches.
Two wickets in two overs for NZ Tilak falls again! Is this another front-foot no-ball? Smith’s mistake doesn’t cost him much.
A hard-length delivery outside off, Tilak gets across looking to break the shackles but only manages to splice it high into the leg side. Smith runs to his left, covers good ground and completes the catch. He points towards the front-foot crease for another check, but he’s fine this time.
Dhir’s luck finally runs out and this time, Bracewell takes a lovely catch. Another knuckle ball outside off, Dhir looks to launch it out of Hamilton but only manages a top edge that balloons high into the air. Bracewell backpedals from extra cover, dives and takes a superb catch.
Tickner whips out a pokemon(?!) card to celebrate Another wicket for Milne, his third of the night and Reddy is out of here . Slower length ball on the stumps, he heaves it without any timing and only as far as deep midwicket where Phillips makes no mistake Milne has his fourth as Bhuvneshwar falls. Slower length ball on off stump, Bhuvi wants to go inside-out but the bat turns in his hand and he ends up dragging it to long-on where the fielder runs in and completes the catch and he strikes straightaway.
It was just short of good length. Abhishek cleared his front leg and decided to go aerial, but he didn’t get the timing right and a back-pedalling mid-on completed a comfortable catch A length ball on the pads. Samson looks to go leg side but gets a leading edge over extra cover.
Bracewell runs back sideways and takes it over his shoulder while tumbling down Another wicket for Milne, his third of the night and Reddy is out of here . Slower length ball on the stumps, he heaves it without any timing and only as far as deep midwicket where Phillips makes no mistake Milne has his fourth as Bhuvneshwar falls. Slower length ball on off stump, Bhuvi wants to go inside-out but the bat turns in his hand and he ends up dragging it to long-on where the fielder runs in and completes the catch The short ball brings about Iyer’s downfall.
A skiddy, short-of-a-length delivery on off stump at 136kph. Iyer is hurried into the pull and gets only a top edge, which balloons straight up for Seifert to take the simplest of catches. Two wickets in two overs for NZ Tilak falls again!
Is this another front-foot no-ball? Smith’s mistake doesn’t cost him much. A hard-length delivery outside off, Tilak gets across looking to break the shackles but only manages to splice it high into the leg side.
Smith runs to his left, covers good ground and completes the catch. He points towards the front-foot crease for another check, but he’s fine this time. Tickner makes amends, gets Kishan after the break .
Straight down deep midwicket’s throat. Tickner lands it on a length, angling back into Kishan on off stump. The batter looks to swat it across the line but gets it off the higher part of the blade, sending it straight to Smith, who makes no mistake.
Dhir’s luck finally runs out and this time, Bracewell takes a lovely catch. Another knuckle ball outside off, Dhir looks to launch it out of Hamilton but only manages a top edge that balloons high into the air. Bracewell backpedals from extra cover, dives and takes a superb catch.
Tickner whips out a pokemon(?!) card to celebrate and he strikes straightaway. It was just short of good length. Abhishek cleared his front leg and decided to go aerial, but he didn’t get the timing right and a back-pedalling mid-on completed a comfortable catch A length ball on the pads.
Samson looks to go leg side but gets a leading edge over extra cover. Bracewell runs back sideways and takes it over his shoulder while tumbling down Tickner makes amends, gets Kishan after the break . Straight down deep midwicket’s throat.
Tickner lands it on a length, angling back into Kishan on off stump. The batter looks to swat it across the line but gets it off the higher part of the blade, sending it straight to Smith, who makes no mistake. The short ball brings about Iyer’s downfall.
A skiddy, short-of-a-length delivery on off stump at 136kph. Iyer is hurried into the pull and gets only a top edge, which balloons straight up for Seifert to take the simplest of catches. Two wickets in two overs for NZ Tilak falls again!
Is this another front-foot no-ball? Smith’s mistake doesn’t cost him much. A hard-length delivery outside off, Tilak gets across looking to break the shackles but only manages to splice it high into the leg side.
Smith runs to his left, covers good ground and completes the catch. He points towards the front-foot crease for another check, but he’s fine this time. Dhir’s luck finally runs out and this time, Bracewell takes a lovely catch.
Another knuckle ball outside off, Dhir looks to launch it out of Hamilton but only manages a top edge that balloons high into the air. Bracewell backpedals from extra cover, dives and takes a superb catch. Tickner whips out a pokemon(?!) card to celebrate Another wicket for Milne, his third of the night and Reddy is out of here .
Slower length ball on the stumps, he heaves it without any timing and only as far as deep midwicket where Phillips makes no mistake Milne has his fourth as Bhuvneshwar falls. Slower length ball on off stump, Bhuvi wants to go inside-out but the bat turns in his hand and he ends up dragging it to long-on where the fielder runs in and completes the catch Oh, dear, no maiden century for Seifert. He falls for 93!
A good-length delivery outside off, and Seifert clears his front leg, looking to go through the covers again. But he only manages a thick inside edge that crashes into the leg stump. Heartbreak for Seifert!
Tim Seifert didn’t realise initially he had chopped on, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 a length ball around off. Allen goes for the pull and ends up skying it miles in the air. Three fielders converging but Kishan is the one who settles under it and just about clings to it as the ball comes out of his hands and rolls onto his chest and stomach, while he falls on his back taken?
Abhishek is claiming it. It was full around off and Mitchell launched it towards long-off. Didn’t make the perfect connection, though.
Abhishek charged in from long-off and took a low catch, just managing to get his fingers under it, as the TV umpire notes Varun Chakravarthy accounted for an aggressive Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 a length ball around off. Allen goes for the pull and ends up skying it miles in the air. Three fielders converging but Kishan is the one who settles under it and just about clings to it as the ball comes out of his hands and rolls onto his chest and stomach, while he falls on his back Varun Chakravarthy accounted for an aggressive Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 taken?
Abhishek is claiming it. It was full around off and Mitchell launched it towards long-off. Didn’t make the perfect connection, though.
Abhishek charged in from long-off and took a low catch, just managing to get his fingers under it, as the TV umpire notes Tim Seifert didn’t realise initially he had chopped on, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 Oh, dear, no maiden century for Seifert. He falls for 93! A good-length delivery outside off, and Seifert clears his front leg, looking to go through the covers again.
But he only manages a thick inside edge that crashes into the leg stump. Heartbreak for Seifert! a length ball around off.
Allen goes for the pull and ends up skying it miles in the air. Three fielders converging but Kishan is the one who settles under it and just about clings to it as the ball comes out of his hands and rolls onto his chest and stomach, while he falls on his back taken? Abhishek is claiming it.
It was full around off and Mitchell launched it towards long-off. Didn’t make the perfect connection, though. Abhishek charged in from long-off and took a low catch, just managing to get his fingers under it, as the TV umpire notes Varun Chakravarthy accounted for an aggressive Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 Oh, dear, no maiden century for Seifert.
He falls for 93! A good-length delivery outside off, and Seifert clears his front leg, looking to go through the covers again. But he only manages a thick inside edge that crashes into the leg stump.
Heartbreak for Seifert! Tim Seifert didn’t realise initially he had chopped on, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 India won the series 3-2, which included successfully chasing 226, youngsters stepping up under pressure, and hunting down 199 in less than 14 overs The series between New Zealand and India offered further glimpses of how the battle between bat and ball is evolving in T20 cricket Adam Milne struck with his first ball, taking out Abhishek Sharma, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 Tim Seifert picked up the pace after an early reprieve, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 India have left out Axar Patel and Mayank Yadav for the dead rubber; New Zealand have replaced Matt Fisher with Blair Tickner Bhuvneshwar Kumar went for 0 for 49 on his India comeback, New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I, Christchurch, October 22, 2026 India are 3-1 ahead in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Which way will the final T20I go?
Get the LIVE scores and updates from the game right here. Tim Seifert picked up the pace after an early reprieve, New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I, Hamilton, November 1, 2026 It’s been an extremely busy period for India’s T20I team, but most of them will be able to get a break after the final match in Hamilton Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma punch gloves, New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I, Christchurch, October 22, 2026 India are 3-1 ahead in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Which way will the final T20I go?
Get the LIVE scores and updates from the game right here. A general view of Westpac Stadium during the third Twenty20 International match between New Zealand and England at Westpac Stadium on February 15, 2013 in Wellington, New Zealand A general view of Westpac Stadium during the third Twenty20 International match between New Zealand and England at Westpac Stadium on February 15, 2013 in Wellington, New Zealand NZ vs IND 2026/27, NZ vs IND 5th T20I Match Report, November 01, 2026 – Seifert, Phillips, Milne set up NZ win as India take series 3-2 NZ vs IND 2026/27, New Zealand vs India Match Report: New Zealand secured another consolation win after having fallen behind 3-0 in the five-match series
