New Zealand win 5th T20I; India seal series: Key stats
What's the story
Despite losing the series, New Zealand beat India in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton. The Kiwis claimed their second successive win, having chased down 192. Tim Seifert took charge with a 93-run knock. Earlier, half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan helped India recover from early turbulence. Meanwhile, Adam Milne took four wickets. Nevertheless, India won the five-match series 3-2.
Start
India's patchy start
Asked to bat, India lost both Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson within four overs (19/2).
Kishan, who came at No. 3, launched a fitting counter-attack thereafter. He was duly supported by skipper Shreyas Iyer.
While Kishan raced to his half-century, Iyer took Michael Bracewell to the cleaners in the ninth over. Their partnership extended to 93 runs before Blair Tickner dismissed Kishan.
Numbers
Kishan strikes hard in Hamilton
Kishan, who earlier recorded back-to-back single-figure scores, bounced with a scintillating knock. He smashed a 32-ball 61 (5 fours and 5 sixes).
During his stay, Kishan also completed 2,000 T20I runs.
In 69 matches, the left-handed batter now has 2,016 runs at an average of 31.01. His strike rate is 149.22.
He has also scored 14 fifties and one hundred in his T20I career.
Information
Third-fastest to 2,000 T20I runs by balls
Kishan reached 2,000 T20I runs off just 1,345 balls, the third fewest taken by an Indian, according to Cricbuzz. The left-handed batter is only behind Abhishek (1,024) and Suryakumar Yadav (1,164).
Landmark
Most T20I runs for India in a year
Kishan unlocked another achievement during his knock. He shattered Suryakumar's record for most runs by an Indian in T20Is in a calendar year.
The former Indian captain scored a record 1,164 T20I runs in 2022.
Kishan has now raced to 1,220 runs at an average of 35.88 and a strike rate of 171.58, including a century and eight half-centuries, in 2026.
Knock
Captain's knock from Iyer
While Kishan smashed a whirlwind knock, Shreyas Iyer led from the front.
He brought up his half-century off 22 balls with a boundary off Nathan Smith in the 12th over. However, he was caught by Tim Seifert on the very next ball.
Iyer smashed 50 off 23 balls, a knock laced with 3 fours and 4 sixes.
Half-century
Iyer's 11th T20I fifty
According to Cricinfo, Iyer completed his 11th half-century in T20Is. He also owns a ton.
The Indian skipper has raced to 1,820 runs from 77 T20Is (73 innings) at an average of 31.37. He has a strike rate of 142.07.
Since becoming India's captain, the right-handed batter has scored 716 runs from 26 T20Is with a strike rate of 152.34.
Spell
Milne takes four wickets
Milne perturbed the Indian openers after the Kiwis elected to field.
Swinging the ball both ways, Milne first dismissed Abhishek (1) in the second over. The Kiwi seamer then kept Samson at bay, removing him in the next over.
Returning at the death, Milne got rid of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. His final figures read 4-0-19-4.
Information
Second-best T20I figures for NZ against India
According to Cricbuzz, Milne now has the best bowling returns for a New Zealand pacer against India in T20Is. Overall, among the Kiwi players, he is only behind his skipper, Mitchell Santner (4/11 in Nagpur, 2016).
Chase
How the chase started
New Zealand's chase began on a shaky note with Finn Allen's early dismissal.
However, Seifert and Daryl Mitchell steadied the ship with a 73-run partnership. The two helped NZ score at 10 runs per over in the Powerplay.
Seifert, who had a patchy start, accelerated and reached his half-century in just 34 balls. He capitalized on a dropped catch by Naman Dhir off Arshdeep's bowling.
Acceleration
NZ get home in 18 overs
After Mitchell's dismissal in the ninth over, Phillips joined Seifert.
The duo then made the chase one-sided, smashing boundaries all around the ground. They brought it down to 29 needed off 30 balls.
Just as Seifert was closing in on his maiden T20I ton, an unfortunate inner edge off Nitish Kumar Reddy ended his stay. He departed for 93 off 50 balls (11 fours and 5 sixes).
While NZ were home in 18 overs, Phillips returned unbeaten on 65 (38).
Milestone
Most runs in a bilateral T20I series
With scores of 82*, 70, 17, 107, and 65*, Phillips concluded the five-match T20I series on a high. He hammered 341 runs at a strike rate of 185.32.
According to Cricbuzz, Phillips now has the most runs in a bilateral T20I series, surpassing England's Phil Salt. The latter smashed 331 runs in the 2023 West Indies series.
Record
NZ's second-highest run-scorer
During his stay, Phillips also became New Zealand's second-highest run-scorer in T20I cricket, overtaking Kane Williamson (2,575). He is only behind Martin Guptill (3,531).
Phillips now has 2,627 runs from 102 T20Is at an average of 35.02. This was his 15th T20I fifty, apart from three tons.
Phillips, also an incredible fielder, has a strike rate of 147.08.
Seifert
Seifert's sixth T20I fifty against India
Seifert, who made his T20I debut in 2018, slammed his 18th half-century.
In 95 T20Is (89 innings), the Kiwi opener has raced to 2,409 runs at a strike rate of 146.73.
Notably, Seifert has six half-centuries against India in the format. His tally includes 606 runs from 21 T20Is at a strike rate of 153.03, including a career-best 93.
Information
Other notable numbers
According to Cricbuzz, this was NZ's third-highest successful chase in T20Is. India now have the most sixes against an opponent (142 vs New Zealand, 2026) in a calendar year.