Shivam Dube’s fiery knock in vain as Indian cricket team lose to New Zealand

The Indian cricket team lost to New Zealand by 50 runs in the fourth game of the five-match IND vs NZ T20 2026 series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

Riding on a century opening stand between Tim Seifert (62 off 36) and Devon Conway (44 off 23), as well as a strong finish from Daryl Mitchell (39 off 18), world No. 4 New Zealand posted 215/7 - their second-highest score against India in T20 cricket.

In reply, world No. 1 India never found momentum. Half their side was back in the dugout for 82 inside 11 overs before Shivam Dube’s explosive counter-attack briefly reignited the contest.

His 23-ball 65, featuring a stunning 15-ball half-century, lifted hopes of an unlikely turnaround before the chase eventually folded on 165/10 in 18.4 overs.

This was only India’s sixth loss from the 41 T20 matches in the format they have played after the 2024 World Cup.

New Zealand openers tore into the Indian attack early, racing to 71 runs in the powerplay - their best-ever against India. Seifert was at his attacking best, bringing up 50 off just 25 balls.

The pair added 100 for the first wicket - New Zealand’s first in the format since 2022 - inside nine overs.

However, India clawed their way back through the middle phase, with Jasprit Bumrah (38/1), Kuldeep Yadav (39/2) and Arshdeep Singh (33/2) striking at regular intervals.

New Zealand were restricted to 34 runs between overs eight and 13, losing three wickets in that period as momentum swung India’s way. The visitors were further reduced to 163/6 in 17 overs.

However, Daryl Mitchell ensured the Kiwis’ innings finished with a flourish to lift New Zealand past 200.

India’s chase never quite found its feet after world No. 1 batter Abhishek Sharma was dismissed off the first ball.

The early damage deepened when Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav departed soon after, leaving the hosts reeling at 9/2 in two overs.

Sanju Samson and Rinku Singh attempted to steady the innings with a brief stand, but the wicketkeeper batter’s dismissal in the seventh over kept New Zealand firmly in control.

The situation worsened with Hardik Pandya’s exit, pushing India further behind the required rate. Rinku, who looked the most fluent of the Indian batters before his resistance ended, was trapped LBW by Zak Foulkes as India were reduced to 82 in the 11th over.

However, Shivam Dube produced a stunning counter-attack, dragging India back into the contest almost on his own.

Dube tore into the New Zealand bowling to bring up a 15-ball fifty, lifting the scoring rate to 10 an over and briefly igniting hopes of an improbable turnaround.

He eventually fell to a run-out after a breathtaking 65, a knock that stood out in an otherwise faltering chase.

India needed 71 off 30 once Dube was gone and the challenge fizzled out in a chase that never fully recovered from its early setbacks.

The series will conclude with the fifth game in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The series is India’s last assignment before the T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 7.

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