Tim Seifert blasted 93 and Glenn Phillips 65 off 38 as New Zealand prevailed over India to win the fifth T20I by 7 wickets at Seddon Park on Sunday. This is a brilliant end to the series for New Zealand, who had been competitive throughout the series but couldn’t go all the way. However, their performances in the final two matches have been at a different level, with the players stepping up in times of need.
Chasing a target of 192, New Zealand went over the line in 18 overs following a shattering knock from Glenn Phillips, who launched 8 fours and 3 sixes in his whirlwind knock of 65 of 38. A fiery cameo from Daryl Mitchell, scoring 29 off 16, also made a big impact in New Zealand’s resurgence. Majorly, a great start from Tim Seifert had made things easier for the Black Caps.
Earlier, India, asked to bat, had to overcome a shaky start after Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson departed for 1 and 4, respectively. However, Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer controlled the innings brilliantly, stitching a 93-run partnership. Kishan blazed 61 runs, while Iyer smashed a half-century. Their partnership released the mountain pressure and brought India back in the game. Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy scored valuable scores of 33 and 22 to guide India to 191/8 in 20 overs.