Phillips Sets Bilateral T20I Series Run Record as New Zealand Beat India

Glenn Phillips reached 332 runs in the series, passing Phil Salt’s previous record, then finished unbeaten on 65 as New Zealand chased India’s 192-run target in Hamilton. His final total of 341 is the highest in a bilateral T20I series. New Zealand won Sunday’s match by seven wickets, but India took the series 3-2. ^2,7

That 192-run target followed India’s recovery after losing Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson early. Ishan Kishan made 61, and captain Shreyas Iyer scored 50, as they added 93 runs from 43 balls to lift India’s innings. Adam Milne took four wickets, and New Zealand held India to 191 for eight. Finn Allen fell early in the chase, but Tim Seifert made 93 from 50 balls and joined Phillips in a match-winning stand. ^9,18

Seifert’s 93 mattered even more because he had scored only 36 runs across his first four matches. A dropped catch by India’s Naman Dhir gave him another chance, and Seifert made the most of it, hitting 11 fours and five sixes. Phillips, meanwhile, scored 82 not out, 70, 17, 107 and 65 not out across the series. His total beat Salt’s 331 for England against the West Indies in 2023. ^8,19

India had already won the series by taking the first three matches. New Zealand’s back-to-back wins in the final two games gave them a stronger finish, even as India’s fielding and bowling came under scrutiny after the finale. Both teams now turn to one-day cricket: the first of five ODIs is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, at Eden Park in Auckland. ^3,13