India slumped to a chastening 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I on Wednesday, enduring a humbling night in Visakhapatnam. Chasing an enormous total of 215, India stumbled throughout their innings as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The chase began on a shaky note, with India losing early wickets in the form of Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, who both managed only 0 and 8 runs, respectively. Early wickets put them on the back foot from the very start. However, there was a brief resistance in the middle order, with Rinku Singh playing a spirited knock, scoring 39 runs and attempting to steady the innings, while Shivam Dube provided the brightest spark for India with a counter-attacking 65. However, once both batters were dismissed, India never made it back, being folded for 165 in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, New Zealand made full use of an excellent batting surface after being asked to bat first. The Black Caps came out firing, with openers Tim Seifert and Devon Conway setting the tone. The pair added a rapid 100-run partnership in 8.2 overs, dismantling the Indian bowling attack in the powerplay. Seifert smashed 62 off 36 deliveries, while Conway contributed with 44 from 23 balls. Down the order, Daryl Mitchell blazed 39 off 18 balls to take New Zealand to 215/7 in 20 overs.