Seifert's 93 powers New Zealand past India by seven wickets in Hamilton as series ends 3-2

Tim Seifert ended a lean series with the innings of it. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter hit 93 at Seddon Park on Sunday to take his side most of the way to 192, and Glenn Phillips finished the job as New Zealand beat India by seven wickets with two overs to spare in the fifth and final T20I.

The result left the series at 3-2 in India’s favour. India won the first three matches but lost the last two, at Eden Park on Friday by 87 runs and now in Hamilton, where a total that once looked like heading past 220 proved some way short.

How the chase was won

India struck first. Arshdeep Singh had Finn Allen caught by Ishan Kishan for 2 early in the chase, but that was the last time the Indian bowlers held the upper hand for long. Seifert and Daryl Mitchell took Prince Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar apart in the fifth and sixth overs, and New Zealand were 59 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Mitchell hit four sixes in a 16-ball 29 before he was caught by Abhishek Sharma. By then the asking rate was no worry. Seifert reached his fifty off 34 balls, and Naman Dhir’s dropped catch off him soon afterwards cost India dearly. New Zealand were 120 for 2 after 12 overs.

Phillips joined Seifert and the pair kept the boundaries coming. After 14.5 overs New Zealand were 162 for 2 needing 30 off 31 balls, Seifert on 89 off 48 with ten fours and five sixes and Phillips on 37.

The century never came. Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled Seifert for 93, the only real setback of the chase for the home side. Phillips, who made a hundred in the Auckland win two days ago, went on to a second successive big score, reaching his half-century as New Zealand got home in the 18th over.

Where India fell short

India’s innings had promised more. Ishan Kishan’s 61 and captain Shreyas Iyer’s 23-ball 50 carried them to 111 for 2, before Adam Milne’s 4 for 19 and a mid-innings collapse held them to 191 for 8. It was a good total, but not enough on the day.

The bowlers found little help. Varun Chakaravarthy, recalled for this match along with Bhuvneshwar, had one wicket for 44 after 3.5 overs, and Prince Yadav’s first three overs cost 35.

For India, the series win is the headline, but the manner of the last two defeats will sting. A side that swept the opening three games conceded 259 at Eden Park and could not defend 191 here. For New Zealand and their captain Mitchell Santner, who won his first toss of the series on Sunday, back-to-back wins brought some pride back after three straight defeats to open the series.