The Indian cricket team suffered its biggest T20I defeat against New Zealand after going down by 87 runs in the fourth match of the five-game NZ vs IND T20 2026 series in Auckland on Friday.
Chasing a mammoth 260 at Eden Park, India were restricted to 172/9 in 20 overs, with Tilak Varma top-scoring with 35 off 35 balls.
The defeat surpassed India’s previous heaviest T20I loss against New Zealand – an 80-run defeat in Wellington in 2019.
The 87-run loss was also India’s second-biggest defeat by runs in T20I cricket, behind only their 125-run defeat to England in Nottingham earlier this year.
India had already sealed the five-match series after winning the opening three contests. The fifth and final match of the series will be played in Hamilton.
Earlier, Glenn Phillips smashed 107 off 49 balls while Michael Bracewell hammered 65 off just 25 deliveries to propel New Zealand to 259/7 after Indian T20 captain Shreyas Iyer elected to field.
Mayank Yadav struck in the opening over, removing Tim Seifert for three, before dismissing Daryl Mitchell for a nine-ball 24 in his second.
Finn Allen counter-attacked with 31 off 17 balls before falling to Axar Patel, while Mayank returned to remove Bevon Jacobs for seven as New Zealand slipped to 112/4 in the 11th over.
Phillips and Bracewell then took control with a blistering 115-run fifth-wicket partnership off just 40 balls.
Bracewell raced to his half-century off 19 deliveries and eventually made 65 off 25, smashing four fours and six sixes.
Phillips brought up his century off 46 balls before finishing with 107 off 49. His innings featured six fours and 10 sixes.
The partnership propelled New Zealand to 259/7, with the hosts scoring 147 runs from their final 9.2 overs.
Mayank finished as India’s most successful bowler with 3/48. Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel picked up one wicket each.
India’s chase got off to a disastrous start as Jacob Duffy dismissed Sanju Samson for four and Ishan Kishan for a duck in the opening over.
Abhishek Sharma counter-attacked with 27 off 15 balls but fell to Matthew Fisher before Shreyas was bowled by Adam Milne for 22 off 11, leaving India at 61/4 at the end of the powerplay.
Nitish Kumar Reddy struck two sixes in his 10-ball 21 before Mitchell Santner dismissed him with his first delivery. The New Zealand captain then removed Axar Patel for seven three balls later as India slipped to 89/6.
Naman Dhir provided some resistance with a brisk 28 off 13 balls, including two fours and two sixes.
However, an outstanding relay catch involving Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith ended Dhir’s stay before Duffy removed Arshdeep Singh off the following delivery to leave India reeling at 121/8.
Tilak and Prince Yadav then added 37 runs for the ninth wicket to take India past the 150-run mark and reduce the margin of defeat.
Tilak was eventually dismissed for 35 in the penultimate over, while Prince remained unbeaten on 18 off 17 balls as India finished on 172/9.
Duffy was New Zealand’s most successful bowler with 4/23, while Santner and Fisher picked up two wickets apiece.
NZ vs IND T20 2026, 4th match, brief scores: New Zealand 259/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 107, Michael Bracewell 65; Mayank Yadav 3/48) beat India 172/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 35, Naman Dhir 28; Jacob Duffy 4/23) by 87 runs.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/new-zealand-vs-india-t20-cricket-2026-match-4-report
