India were 93 without loss chasing 226, and Naman Dhir’s top-edged six won the Christchurch T20I with two balls left
Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 82 gave New Zealand their highest T20I total against India, and India still chased it down in the first of five T20Is.
Oct 22, 2026
For almost six overs at Hagley Oval it looked like a rout. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma had 93 on the board without loss after 35 balls, chasing 226. Then New Zealand’s spinners took four wickets for 29 runs, and the first T20I of the tour turned into a fight that only finished with two balls to spare.
India got there by four wickets, 230 for 6 in reply to 225 for 4, and lead the five-match series 1-0. Naman Dhir ended it with a top-edged hook for six when two were needed from three balls.
Phillips takes New Zealand to their best total against India
India won the toss and chose to field under the Hagley Oval lights. Finn Allen hit 45 off 24 before he went down the ground once too often against Axar Patel and was caught by Tilak Varma. New Zealand were 80 for 2 inside eight overs at that point.
India kept a lid on things until Bevon Jacobs joined Glenn Phillips. The pair added 73 off 33 balls for the fourth wicket. Jacobs hit his first ball for six and made 31 off 16 before running himself out in the 18th over. Phillips just kept going. He finished 82 not out off 40 balls with eight fours and three sixes, and 225 for 4 was New Zealand’s highest T20I total against India.
Santner had said before the series that Bhuvneshwar Kumar would love New Zealand’s conditions. He went for 49 in his four overs without a wicket, while Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Axar took one each.
Samson’s 23-ball fifty, then the wobble
The new ball swung and New Zealand could not control it. Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne gave away 48 between them in the third and fourth overs, and 16 of India’s runs came from wides. Samson reached fifty off 23 balls in the sixth over.
Michael Bracewell changed the game. Abhishek tried to make room and carve him and was caught for 29 off 12. India sent Tilak in at No. 3 ahead of Ishan Kishan, which looked odd at the time and worse a few minutes later: Tilak scratched 6 off 11 before holing out off Bracewell. Mitchell Santner bowled Samson off an inside edge for 67 off 33, then had Kishan caught for 1. From 93 without loss, India were 122 for 4.
Dhir finishes it from 122 for 4
India promoted Axar to No. 6, with Shivam Dube left out for Nitish Kumar Reddy. Axar made 24 off 14 and put on 45 with Shreyas Iyer, who was captaining the side.
Iyer made 42 off 28 before Milne had him caught with the first ball of the 19th over, leaving 16 to get from 11 balls. Dhir did not let the pressure build. He finished 42 not out off 15 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Bracewell (2 for 37) and Santner (2 for 39) were the only New Zealand bowlers who went at under ten an over. The two sides go again at the same ground on Saturday, 24 October, with a 12:30pm IST start.