New Zealand Set 259/7 Total as India Face Huge Chase in Fourth T20I

New Zealand set their highest-ever T20I total with 259/7 against India in the fourth T20I at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday. The hosts put together a record-breaking innings, leaving India with a target of 260 as they looked to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat in the series.

The New Zealand vs India 4th T20I produced a new benchmark for the hosts, whose previous highest T20I score was 254/5 against Scotland in 2022. Their 259/7 surpassed that mark and also became the highest total recorded by any team against India in men's T20 internationals.

New Zealand Raise the Bar in Auckland

The hosts took advantage of their opportunity to bat first after India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to field. Eden Park has a reputation for high-scoring contests, but New Zealand pushed beyond their previous best to put India under serious pressure.

Glenn Phillips led the charge with a commanding 107 off 49 balls, providing the standout innings of the day. His century powered New Zealand towards a total that gave their bowlers a substantial cushion to defend.

New Zealand's previous record of 254/5 had stood since their 2022 T20I against Scotland. Reaching 259/7 against one of the strongest sides in the format made the achievement even more noteworthy.

New Zealand set highest T20 total in a series where India had already won the first three matches. New Zealand responded with a record 259/7, putting India under pressure to pull off a challenging chase.

India Face a Steep Chase

India's reply began poorly. Sanju Samson fell for four, while Ishan Kishan was dismissed without scoring, leaving the visitors under immediate pressure.

Abhishek Sharma made 27 off 15 balls, and Shreyas Iyer added 22 from 11 deliveries. However, regular wickets prevented India from building the partnerships needed to keep pace with the required rate.

Jacob Duffy struck three times, while Mitchell Santner claimed two wickets to keep New Zealand firmly in control. At 121/7 after 11.2 overs, India needed another 139 runs from 52 balls, with the required run rate at 16 per over.

The New Zealand vs India Live score showed the hosts with a commanding advantage as Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on six. Naman Dhir had contributed 28 off 13 balls before falling to Jacob Duffy.

New Zealand's 259/7 had already rewritten their own T20I record. With India losing wickets at regular intervals, the hosts were in a strong position to secure their first win of the five-match series.