New Zealand win final T20I by seven wickets as India take series 3-2
New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in the fifth T20I at Hamilton, chasing 192 with 12 balls to spare, but India took the five-match series 3-2.
New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, chasing down a target of 192 with 12 balls to spare, but India took the five-match series 3-2.
New Zealand's chase
New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Sunday, chasing down a target of 192 with 12 balls to spare to finish on 195 for 3.
Tim Seifert led the chase with 93 off 50 balls, including 11 fours and five sixes, after being dropped on 13 by Naman Dhir. He fell seven runs short of a maiden T20I century when an inside edge off Nitish Kumar Reddy crashed into his leg stump, Reuters reported.
Glenn Phillips finished unbeaten on 65 off 38 balls and took New Zealand over the line, after opener Finn Allen fell in the second over and the hosts had started slowly.
India's 191 for 8
India, put in to bat first, were struggling at 19 for 2 before Shreyas Iyer (50) and Ishan Kishan (61) rebuilt with a 93-run partnership in just seven overs, taking India to 112 for 2 in 10.1 overs, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Fast bowler Adam Milne was the pick of New Zealand's bowlers with four wickets for 19 runs, while Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner took two apiece, as India managed only a modest total despite the middle-order recovery.
Kishan fell for 61 off 32 balls and Iyer for a 22-ball fifty as New Zealand's seamers dragged the innings back in the second half.
Series ends 3-2 to India
Despite the defeat, India took the five-match series 3-2, having won the first three matches to seal it before New Zealand claimed the final two as consolation wins.
Phillips finished the series with 341 runs, the most by any batter in a bilateral T20I series, bettering England's Phil Salt's previous record of 331, Reuters reported.
The teams now turn to one-day international cricket, with the first of a five-match ODI series scheduled in Auckland on Wednesday.
ESPNcricinfo noted that New Zealand had been generous in the field through the series, dropping two catches and taking a wicket off a no-ball in this match, while India lacked the bowling resources best suited to the Hamilton conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
What was the result of the fifth T20I?
New Zealand beat India by seven wickets at Seddon Park, Hamilton, chasing 192 to finish on 195 for 3 with 12 balls to spare.
Who were the standout performers?
Tim Seifert scored 93 off 50 balls and Glenn Phillips finished unbeaten on 65 for New Zealand, while Adam Milne took four wickets for 19 runs. For India, Ishan Kishan scored 61 and Shreyas Iyer 50.
Who won the series?
India won the five-match series 3-2, having won the first three matches before New Zealand won the final two.