Phillips' Blistering Century Powers New Zealand to 87-Run Rout of India at Eden Park

New Zealand produced a batting masterclass at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, October 30, racking up 259 for seven — their highest-ever total in T20 internationals — before bowling India out for 172 for nine to win the fourth T20I by 87 runs. Glenn Phillips was the star of the show, blazing 107 from just 49 deliveries to set up a total India never looked like chasing. India's reply fell apart almost immediately. Chasing 260, the visitors lost Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the first over and had slipped to 56 for four by the end of the sixth over, leaving them far too much to do despite Abhishek Sharma's 27 off 15 balls. Abhishek remains India's leading run-scorer in the series with 196 runs from four innings at a strike rate of 227.90, including a century. India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule pointed to the powerplay collapse as the decisive factor, saying that losing two early wickets always leaves a side around 30 runs short of the target. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, meanwhile, praised New Zealand's bowling plan against Abhishek, noting that the hosts avoided repeating earlier mistakes by refusing to bowl him a consistent length. The two sides meet again in the fifth and final T20I of the series at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1, where Pathan has suggested India should hand opportunities to players yet to feature in the series, including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.