Shivam Dube’s tandav was not enough on Wednesday as India’s marauding T20I freight train was brought to a halt by New Zealand in Visakhapatnam. A six-hitting spree that had the crowd chanting his name could not mask India’s underwhelming display with both bat and ball. After conceding 215, India were unable to replicate the heroics of Indore or Guwahati, managing just 165 in 18.4 overs and falling short by 50 runs.
Dube returned to his power-hitting best, hammering seven sixes and three boundaries in a blistering 23-ball 65. He took charge when India were reeling at 82 for 5 in the 11th over, following failures from the big guns — Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson — at the top of the order. By the time he departed, India had moved to 145 for 6 in the 16th over, still a long way from the finish line.
IND vs NZ 4th T20I: Highlights | Scorecard
Yet, Dube’s stay was worth every penny. He tore into Ish Sodhi, once again underlining how destructive he can be against high-quality spin. With three towering sixes and two boundaries, Dube breathed life into India’s innings when they were tottering at 85 for 5 in the 10th over.
He followed that up in the very next over by dispatching Jacob Duffy for two more sixes, showcasing his range and power against pace as well.
It was not to be a fairy-tale finish, though. Dube rode his luck until the 15th over, when it finally ran out. He struck a couple of monstrous blows, but some of them were teasing chances to the New Zealand fielders patrolling the ropes. Earlier, he survived a close LBW call — one even Dube himself seemed to think was out — only for replays to reveal a thick inside edge.
Eventually, fortune deserted him in cruel fashion. Dube was run out at the non-striker’s end after Harshit Rana’s fierce drive was deflected onto the stumps by Matt Henry.
Henry’s reaction told its own story. He celebrated as if he had bowled a toe-crushing yorker to shatter Dube’s stumps — a release of pure relief that New Zealand’s chief tormentor was finally on his way back to the pavilion.
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Earlier in the day, India opted to go in with just five specialist bowlers despite naming seven bowling options in the playing XI. Arshdeep Singh came in for Ishan Kishan as an extra frontline seamer, a move that inevitably placed greater responsibility on the batters. It also underlined India’s intent to operate with a five-bowler strategy — a plan they stuck to rigidly, even as their new-ball bowlers were taken on during the powerplay.
Arshdeep did manage to extract some movement early on, but the bit of green on offer did not quite work in his favour. Tim Seifert enjoyed a slice of luck when a top-edge dropped agonisingly short of Jasprit Bumrah at short third man. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter followed that up by flat-batting a wide delivery, and then found the boundary again with a thick outside edge — three fours in the over.
Seifert made full use of the early reprieve, growing in confidence and taking Harshit Rana to the cleaners in the powerplay. The young fast bowler, retained for another game in the series, curiously turned to slower balls as early as his first over and paid the price, conceding 12 runs. With the ball still hard and offering a bit of nip, Harshit went into damage-control mode rather than attacking for wickets — an approach Seifert punished.
Arshdeep, however, stayed true to his strengths. After a difficult opening over, he bounced back strongly, conceding just four runs in his next.
India persisted with Harshit for the fourth over and Seifert once again went after him. A seam-up delivery first ball was deposited into the stands, and even the change of pace that followed did little to stem the flow. Seifert collected 15 runs from the over, further tilting the momentum New Zealand’s way.
Jasprit Bumrah was introduced in the fifth over to a rousing reception from the Vizag crowd, but Seifert continued to assert himself. He welcomed Bumrah by launching him straight back over his head and into the stands. Bumrah’s first over went for 11 as Seifert and Devon Conway rotated the strike smartly around the six.
India chose not to use Hardik Pandya — usually a powerplay option — during the first six overs, handing the responsibility of closing out the phase to Ravi Bishnoi. Bishnoi had been miserly in Guwahati, conceding just 18 runs in four overs in the third T20I, but Vizag presented a different challenge.
This time, he ran into Conway, who was keen to join the party. The left-hander showed little hesitation, taking on the spinner with cross-batted strokes to length balls fired into the pitch.
New Zealand raced to 71 in the powerplay — their highest powerplay total against India in a T20I.
Conway and Seifert continued to press on even after the fielding restrictions were lifted. Conway, in particular, unfurled his slog-sweep effectively against the spinners, adopting a more aggressive role once the ring was spread.
Seifert brought up his half-century off just 25 balls — his first of the series — as New Zealand surged to 100 inside eight overs. Ravi Bishnoi bore the brunt of the assault, given no respite in his opening two overs.
India finally found a breakthrough when Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Conway, who was beginning to look increasingly dangerous. Bowling wide, Kuldeep forced Conway into an inside-out shot that went straight to Rinku Singh at deep cover.
One became two almost immediately as Bumrah removed Rachin Ravindra — struggling for form — with a well-disguised slower ball off the first delivery of the 10th over.
The twin strikes briefly stemmed New Zealand’s momentum before Arshdeep delivered a crucial blow in the 13th over, removing Seifert. After unsettling him with a slower-ball bouncer, Arshdeep followed it up with another wide, slower delivery that Seifert flat-batted to Rinku at long-off.
Glenn Phillips, walking in at No. 4, attempted to inject momentum but chose the wrong option — a back-foot punch aimed at clearing long-on — and threw away a promising start, departing for 24 against Kuldeep Yadav.
New Zealand’s innings then lost further steam, managing just 37 runs in the 5.3 overs between the ninth and 14th.
Mark Chapman’s struggles in the series continued as he made only 11 before becoming Ravi Bishnoi’s sole wicket of the night. From a commanding 100 without loss, New Zealand slipped to 152 for 5.
Daryl Mitchell fought a lone battle at the death to ensure New Zealand crossed the 200-run mark. At one stage, with Conway and Mitchell going hammer and tongs, a total in excess of 220 looked on the cards, but the middle overs cost them momentum.
Mitchell Santner attempted a mini counter-attack on arrival but was cut short by a brilliant direct hit from Hardik Pandya in the 17th over, leaving New Zealand 163 for 6.
Zak Foulkes swung freely, striking two lusty blows in Arshdeep Singh’s final over, but perished for 13 with two overs remaining.
Mitchell, though, had the final say. In the 19th over, he took apart Jasprit Bumrah — a rare sight — plundering 19 runs. He then farmed the strike expertly and squeezed 14 more from the final over, giving the Black Caps a valuable late surge of 33 runs in the last two overs.
New Zealand would do well to give Mitchell more time at the crease. Batting at No. 6 and still producing such an impactful knock is yet another reminder that the former Chennai Super Kings batter is well suited to a role higher up the order.
– Ends
