India’s final stretch of preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup suffered a sharp jolt as New Zealand delivered a commanding 50-run victory in the fourth T20I at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Despite a blistering counterattack from Shivam Dube, the hosts were bowled out for 165 while chasing a daunting target of 216.
The loss helped New Zealand pull one back in the series and exposed areas of concern for India just days before the global tournament begins.
India’s Chase Falters Early
India’s task was made harder before the first ball was bowled. Ishan Kishan was sidelined due to a niggle, forcing the hosts to bat one player short. The chase began disastrously when Abhishek Sharma fell to the very first delivery, mistiming Matt Henry to third man.
Suryakumar Yadav followed soon after, dismissed for eight when Jacob Duffy took a sharp return catch off his own bowling. With India struggling at 9 for 2, early momentum evaporated under the Vizag lights.
Sanju Samson, under pressure to deliver, showed brief promise. He drove and flicked Henry confidently and found support in Rinku Singh, who attacked Zak Foulkes with two towering sixes. Samson himself launched Duffy over midwicket as India reached 53 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.
Dube’s Blaze Lights Up Vizag
Shivam Dube then produced a breathtaking assault that briefly reignited hope. The left-hander tore into Ish Sodhi, smashing 29 runs in a single over with three massive sixes. He followed it up by targeting Duffy, clearing the ropes repeatedly to bring the crowd alive.
Dube raced to a stunning half-century off just 15 balls, striking cleanly down the ground and into the stands at deep square leg. However, the turning point came in cruel fashion. While backing up too far, Dube was run out after a Harshit Rana shot deflected off Henry’s hands onto the stumps.
That dismissal effectively ended India’s challenge. The remaining batters offered little resistance as the hosts were bowled out in 18.4 overs, well short of the target.
New Zealand’s Explosive Foundation
Earlier, New Zealand laid the platform with a dominant opening stand between Tim Seifert and Devon Conway. The pair added 100 runs in just 8.1 overs, punishing anything loose and keeping the Indian bowlers under relentless pressure.
Seifert rode his luck early, surviving a couple of mistimed shots, but soon settled into rhythm. He took on Harshit Rana with consecutive sixes and brought up New Zealand’s fifty inside five overs. Conway complemented him perfectly, attacking Ravi Bishnoi for boundaries and a six during a costly powerplay.
Seifert reached his half-century off 25 balls, while Conway contributed a fluent 44, ensuring New Zealand surged to 71 without loss in the first six overs.
Reality Check Before the World Cup
While India will take positives from Dube’s power-hitting, the overall performance raised concerns around top-order stability and death-over execution. For New Zealand, the win restored confidence and highlighted their depth and adaptability.
As the final T20I approaches, both teams now have clear takeaways — India with problems to address, and New Zealand with momentum firmly back on their side.
