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India Take the New Zealand T20I Series 3-2, but Glenn Phillips Steals the Last Word
New Zealand won the fifth T20I in Hamilton by seven wickets on 1 November, but India had already done enough to win the series 3-2. Five matches, two records and one selection row.
Published Nov. 2, 2026, 06:06 GMT
Last updated: 2 Nov 2026References
The final match
At Seddon Park, Hamilton, on 1 November, India made 191 for 8. Ishan Kishan scored 61 from 32 balls, captain Shreyas Iyer added 50, and Adam Milne took 4 for 19. New Zealand, who won the toss for the first time in the series, chased it down in 18 overs at 195 for 3. Tim Seifert hit 93 from 50 balls and Glenn Phillips finished 65 not out from 38.
The series in three moments
- Wellington, 3rd T20I: India chased 199 in just 13.2 overs. Abhishek Sharma made 113 from 38 balls, reaching his hundred in 35 balls, his fourth T20I century. India's 118 without loss in the powerplay is the highest by a full-member team. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added 45 from 19.
- Auckland, 4th T20I: New Zealand hit back at Eden Park with 259 for 7 and won by 87 runs. Phillips scored 107 from 49 balls.
- Hamilton, 5th T20I: Phillips' unbeaten 65 took his series total to 341 runs, the most by any batter in a five-match bilateral T20I series.
The selection row
Sooryavanshi, who scored quickly whenever he played, sat out the last two games. Former India captain Kris Srikkanth called the decision "foolishness" from the management. Head coach Gautam Gambhir instead praised Iyer's captaincy, and Iyer said the side needs to improve its fielding. Whether Sooryavanshi was rested or dropped has not been explained publicly.
Why it matters
India won a series away from home with a young batting line-up, but conceded 195 or more three times. The bowling, not the batting, is the question going into the next white-ball assignments.
What's next
A five-match ODI series follows, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the squad. Check the broadcaster in your country before the first match, because ODI and T20I rights are not always held by the same channel.
Want the fan view? Read how Reddit reacted to India's 118-run powerplay.
How we wrote this: our staff read the reporting listed below, checked the facts against more than one source where possible, and wrote this piece in our own words. Anything not confirmed is labelled. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
