New Zealand beat India by 87 runs in the fourth T20I at a sold-out Eden Park in Auckland on October 30, with Glenn Phillips's 107 off 49 balls driving New Zealand to 259 for 7 before Jacob Duffy's 4 for 23 helped bowl India out for 172. The result is New Zealand's first win of the series, with India still leading 3-1 ahead of the fifth and final match at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on November 1.
Phillips, who hit 10 sixes in his innings, shared a 115-run stand off just 41 balls for the fifth wicket with Michael Bracewell, who made 65 off 25. The partnership turned a competitive total into one well beyond India's range on the night, after New Zealand had navigated the middle overs without ever being seriously threatened by India's bowling attack.
Jacob Duffy took 4 for 23, the pick of New Zealand's bowlers, as India slipped to 172 for 9 in their 20 overs. Tilak Varma top-scored for India with 35, with Naman Dhir (28) and Abhishek Sharma (27) the other notable contributions in an innings that never found the rhythm needed to chase a target in excess of 260.
India had won the first three matches of the five-game series comfortably, sealing the series itself with Abhishek Sharma's century in Wellington, which meant Friday's dead rubber carried no bearing on the series outcome even as it ended New Zealand's run without a win on the tour. For the hosts, the performance in front of a near-record Eden Park crowd offers a platform to build on heading into the series finale.
With the series already won, India's focus for the fifth T20I at Hamilton on November 1 shifts toward squad rotation and giving fringe players game time, while New Zealand will look to Phillips and Bracewell's form to avoid finishing the tour on a 4-1 scoreline. A second New Zealand win would still leave India comfortably ahead on the series result but would add further gloss to the Black Caps' response in the dead-rubber matches.
Glenn Phillips's innings makes him the standout value pick from either side for the series finale, with Michael Bracewell's finishing hitting also worth tracking. Jacob Duffy's returns with the ball give New Zealand a bowling option to build around, while Tilak Varma remains India's most consistent batting pick across the series even after Friday's defeat.
Build a squad for the Hamilton decider on SportGod's games page, check data-backed forecasts on SportGod's predictions page, and follow ball-by-ball updates on SportGod's live matches page.
Scores and bowling figures in this article are verified against same-day and freshly re-checked reporting as of October 30, 2026.
Try Sport God AI live
Live scores, AI predictions, and fantasy — free during IPL 2026.