VISAKHAPATNAM: A half-century from Tim Seifert and three wickets from skipper Mitchell Santner helped New Zealand to a 50-run consolation victory over India in the fourth T20 international match on Wednesday.
New Zealand posted a 215-7 record after being put into bat thanks to a showdown century between openers Seifert, who hit 62 off 36 balls, and Devon Conway, who hit 44, in Visakhapatnam.
Santner led the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 26 as New Zealand dismissed India for 165, pulling one out after the hosts sealed the five-match series in the third match.
Both teams now head into the fifth match on Saturday, the final tune-up before the T20 World Cup which begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
New Zealand started strongly with Seifert taking on Arshdeep Singh in the first over with three consecutive fours and continuing the attack in the next over against Harshit Rana.
Conway joined the charge as New Zealand reached 100 in 8.1 overs and Seifert reached his 50 in 25 balls.
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav made the breakthrough by removing Conway with Rinku Singh taking his first of four catches in the innings.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Rachin Ravindra, caught him and bowled for two, in the next over and soon Arshdeep cut Seifert’s shot short with his left-arm pace.
Kuldeep had Glenn Phillips removed for 24 off 16 balls and suddenly New Zealand seemed to be losing their way before Daryl Mitchell intervened.
Mitchell hit an unbeaten 18-ball 39 and hit two fours and three sixes to increase the Kiwis’ total.
In response, India lost opener Abhishek Sharma off the first ball, with Matt Henry taking the edge to third man.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav fell in the next over, caught and played for eight off Jacob Duffy.
Santner’s left-arm spin then accounted for Sanju Samson (24) and Hardik Pandya as India slipped to 63-4.
Shivam Dube hit back with his 23-ball 65, clubbing seven sixes and three fours as he reached his fifty in just 15 deliveries.
But he was unluckily run out when a shot from Rana grazed Henry’s hand and deflected into the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Wickets continued to tumble and the Indian innings folded in 18.4 overs.
Dashboard
NEW ZEALAND:
D. Conway v R. Singh b K. Yadav 44
T. Seifert v R. Singh b A. Singh 62
R. Ravindra c&b Bumrah 2
G. Phillips v R. Singh b K. Yadav 24
Mr. Chapman v Rana b Bishnoi 9
D. Mitchell not absent 39
Mr. Santner is exhausted 11
Z. Foulkes v R. Singh b A. Singh 13
Mr. Henry not out 6
ADDITIONAL (B-1, LB-1, W-3) 5
TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 215
DID NOT FEAT: I. Sodhi, J. Duffy
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-100 (Conway), 2-103 (Ravindra), 3-126 (Seifert), 4-137 (Phillips), 5-152 (Chapman), 6-163 (Santner), 7-182 (Foulkes)
BOWLING: A. Singh 4-0-33-2 (1s), Rana 4-0-54-0, Bumrah 4-0-38-1, Bishnoi 4-0-49-1, K. Yadav 4-0-39-2 (2s)
INDIA:
A. Sharma v Conway b Henry 0
S. Samson b Santner 24
S. Yadav c&b Duffy 8
R. Singh lbw b Foulkes 39
H. Pandya v Foulkes b Santner 2
S. Dubé short of 65
H. Rana c Ravindra b Sodhi 9
R. Bishnoi not absent 10
A. Singh v Santner b Sodhi 0
J. Bumrah v Sodhi b Santner 4
K. Yadav c Seifert b Duffy 1
ADDITIONAL (W-3) 3
TOTAL (all out, 18.4 overs)165
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Sharma), 2-9 (S. Yadav), 3-55 (Samson), 4-63 (Pandya), 5-82 (R. Singh), 6-145 (Dube), 7-157 (Rana), 8-157 (A. Singh), 9-162 (Bumrah)
BOWLING: Henry 3-0-24-1, Duffy 3.4-0-33-2, Foulkes 3-0-29-1 (2w), Sodhi 4-0-46-2 (1w), Santner 4-0-26-3, Phillips 1-0-7-0
RESULT: New Zealand won by 50 points.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Tim Seifert
Published in Dawn, January 29, 2026
