Black Caps thrash India by 50 runs in fourth T20 in Visakhapatnam

The Black Caps have bounced back after losing the opening three games to thrash India by 50 runs in the fourth Twenty20 in Visakhapatnam.

A half-century by Tim Seifert and skipper Mitchell Santner’s three wickets steered New Zealand to a consolation win in their penultimate match before the Twenty20 World Cup.

New Zealand posted 215-7 after being put in to bat thanks to a century stand between openers Seifert, who hit 62 off 36 balls, and Devon Conway, who struck 44.

Santner led the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 26 as New Zealand dismissed India for 165, pulling one back after the hosts had sealed the five‑match series in the third game.

The two teams now head into the fifth match on Saturday, the final tune-up ahead of the T20 World Cup starting February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

“There’s no better prep than playing India in India for a World Cup,” said Santner.

“So we’ve got a couple of guys back for the next game, which is nice. But again, it’s about getting our plans right, getting the roles sorted for what we’ve got coming up in the Cup.”

New Zealand started strongly with Seifert taking on Arshdeep Singh in the opening over with three successive fours and keeping up the attack in the next over off Harshit Rana.

Conway joined the charge as New Zealand raced to 100 in 8.1 overs and Seifert reached his fifty in 25 balls.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav broke through as he removed Conway with Rinku Singh taking his first of four catches in the innings.

Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Rachin Ravindra, caught and bowled for two, in the next over and soon Arshdeep cut short Seifert’s knock with his left-arm pace.

Kuldeep had Glenn Phillips out for 24 off 16 balls and suddenly New Zealand seemed to lose their way before Daryl Mitchell stepped in.

Mitchell struck an unbeaten 18-ball 39 and hit two fours and three sixes to boost the Kiwi total.

In reply, India lost swashbuckling opener Abhishek Sharma on the first ball with Matt Henry drawing a top edge to third man.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav fell in the next over, caught and bowled for eight off Jacob Duffy.

Santner’s left-arm spin then accounted for Sanju Samson (24) and Hardik Pandya as India slipped to 63-4.

Shivam Dube hit back in his 23-ball 65, clubbing seven sixes and three fours as he reached his fifty in just 15 deliveries.

But he was run out in an unlucky manner when a shot from Rana grazed Henry’s hand and deflected onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

Wickets kept tumbling and the Indian innings folded in 18.4 overs, but Suryakumar said they would learn from the defeat.

“Hopefully if we get an opportunity again, we might chase again,” said Suryakumar. “But at the end of the day, good learning.”

With AFP