New Zealand beat India by 7 wickets in the 5th T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on 1 November 2026, to end the India tour of New Zealand 2026 with a home win in the series finale. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl, and that decision shaped a match in which India posted 191 for 8 from 20 overs before New Zealand reached 195 for 3 in 18 overs, with 12 balls remaining. The result gave New Zealand the final match, but it did not change the overall outcome of the series.
The build-up to the decider was covered in the New Zealand vs India, 5th T20I preview, and the finale lived up to that billing as a high-scoring contest. India recovered from a difficult start to post a competitive total, yet New Zealand chased it down with wickets and balls to spare. Tim Seifert led the chase with 93 off 50 balls, while Glenn Phillips finished unbeaten on 65 off 38 balls to see New Zealand home.
India had already built an unassailable position in the series by winning the first three matches, and that context is important when reading this result. New Zealand responded by winning the 4th T20I by 87 runs, as described in the New Zealand vs India, 4th T20I recap, and then winning this 5th T20I by 7 wickets. Those two wins made the final margin 3-2 to India, rather than a wider series victory, and they gave New Zealand a strong finish even though India took the series trophy.
India had sealed the series in the third match, as covered in the New Zealand vs India, 3rd T20I recap, so the last two matches were about pride, momentum and the final shape of the scoreline. New Zealand used both matches to show that they could win in different ways, first by a large margin and then in a chase. In Hamilton, the chase was controlled after the early loss of a wicket, and the hosts never allowed the required rate to move beyond their reach once Seifert and Phillips were settled.
Scorecard summary
| Team | Score | Top scorers |
| India | 191 for 8 in 20 overs | Ishan Kishan 61 off 32; Shreyas Iyer 50 off 23 |
| New Zealand | 195 for 3 in 18 overs | Tim Seifert 93 off 50; Glenn Phillips 65 not out off 38 |
| Result | New Zealand won by 7 wickets, with 12 balls remaining | Player of the Match: Adam Milne, 4 for 19 |
| Series | India won the five-match series 3-2 | Player of the Series: Glenn Phillips, 341 runs |
India’s innings
India were in early trouble after being asked to bat first, falling to 19 for 2. That start put pressure on the middle order, and it also gave New Zealand early control with the ball. The recovery came from Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer, who added 93 runs together and took India to 112 for 2. Their partnership changed the direction of the innings, because it turned a fragile start into a platform from which India could aim for a total above 190.
Kishan made 61 off 32 balls, with 5 fours and 5 sixes, while Iyer made 50 off 23 balls, with 3 fours and 4 sixes. Their attacking batting meant that New Zealand could not simply contain India after the early wickets, and the innings gained momentum through the middle overs. Naman Dhir then contributed 33 off 23 balls, and Nitish Kumar Reddy made 22 off 17 balls, as India kept pushing toward a competitive score even after the main partnership was broken.
The rest of the Indian batting line-up could not add a large individual score. Sanju Samson made 4, Abhishek Sharma made 1, Tilak Varma made 6 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar made 6, while Prince Yadav finished 0 not out and Arshdeep Singh finished 1 not out. India therefore reached 191 for 8, a total that was competitive without being out of reach on a ground where the chase proved possible. Adam Milne was the standout bowler for New Zealand with 4 for 19, while Blair Tickner took 2 for 38 and Nathan Smith took 2 for 28. Jacob Duffy finished with 0 for 27, Mitchell Santner with 0 for 39 and Michael Bracewell with 0 for 38.
New Zealand’s chase
New Zealand lost an early wicket in the chase, with the fall of wickets recorded as 9 for 1, 82 for 2 and 168 for 3. Finn Allen made 2, and Daryl Mitchell made 29 off 16 balls, but the chase was defined by the batting of Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips. Seifert made 93 off 50 balls, with 11 fours and 5 sixes, and his innings gave New Zealand both pace and control. Phillips then finished the job with 65 not out off 38 balls, with 8 fours and 3 sixes, while Bevon Jacobs finished 1 not out.
Seifert was dropped on 13 in the fourth over by Naman Dhir, and that moment became one of the most important passages of the match. A catch at that stage could have put New Zealand under renewed pressure, but Seifert used the chance to build a match-winning innings. His batting kept the chase ahead of the game, and Phillips provided the calm and powerful support needed at the other end. Together, they took New Zealand from the second wicket down to 168 for 3, leaving the lower order with a manageable finish.
India used six bowlers in the chase, but none could take control for a long enough period to stop New Zealand. Arshdeep Singh took 1 for 40, Varun Chakaravarthy took 1 for 45 and Nitish Kumar Reddy took 1 for 19. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with 0 for 41, Prince Yadav with 0 for 35 and Abhishek Sharma with 0 for 13. New Zealand reached their target in 18 overs, finishing on 195 for 3, and the 12 balls remaining showed that the chase was completed with room to spare rather than in a last-over scramble.
Key performances
- Tim Seifert: 93 off 50 balls, with 11 fours and 5 sixes, leading New Zealand’s chase.
- Glenn Phillips: 65 not out off 38 balls, with 8 fours and 3 sixes, finishing the chase unbeaten.
- Adam Milne: 4 for 19, the best bowling figures in the match and the Player of the Match performance.
- Ishan Kishan: 61 off 32 balls, with 5 fours and 5 sixes, leading India’s recovery from 19 for 2.
- Shreyas Iyer: 50 off 23 balls, with 3 fours and 4 sixes, as captain in the 93-run partnership with Kishan.
- Glenn Phillips, Player of the Series: 341 runs in the series, the most runs by a batter in a bilateral T20I series.
- Naman Dhir: 33 off 23 balls for India, and also the fielder who dropped Seifert on 13.
Turning points
- New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl, giving their bowlers the first chance to shape the match at Seddon Park.
- India slipped to 19 for 2, but the 93-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer took India to 112 for 2 and rebuilt the innings.
- Adam Milne’s 4 for 19 prevented India from turning that recovery into an even larger total, and his wickets kept New Zealand in the contest.
- Tim Seifert was dropped on 13 in the fourth over by Naman Dhir, and he went on to make 93 and lead the chase.
- New Zealand moved from 82 for 2 to 168 for 3, with Seifert and Phillips controlling the middle of the chase before the finish.
- New Zealand completed the chase in 18 overs, with 12 balls remaining, to win by 7 wickets and finish the series with back-to-back victories.
Player of the Match
Adam Milne was named Player of the Match for his figures of 4 for 19. In a match with a combined total of 386 runs, his bowling stood out because it combined wickets with control. India had moments of strong batting, especially through Kishan and Iyer, but Milne’s spell ensured that India finished on 191 for 8 rather than pushing further ahead. That difference mattered in a chase that New Zealand completed with 12 balls remaining.
Milne’s performance also contrasted with the other bowling figures in the match. Blair Tickner took 2 for 38 and Nathan Smith took 2 for 28 for New Zealand, while the other New Zealand bowlers did not take a wicket. For India, Nitish Kumar Reddy was the most economical wicket-taker with 1 for 19, but the other bowlers could not match Milne’s impact. His four wickets made him the clear choice for the individual award on the day, even though Seifert and Phillips produced the decisive batting performances in the chase.
Glenn Phillips was named Player of the Series, finishing with 341 runs, the most runs by a batter in a bilateral T20I series. His unbeaten 65 in the finale was therefore a fitting end to a series in which he was consistently the leading batter. The series award recognised the full five-match contribution, while Milne’s award recognised the decisive bowling spell in the final match itself.
What the result means for the series
The result means that India won the five-match T20I series 3-2, despite losing the last two matches. India won the first three matches, which gave them the series before the final two games, and New Zealand then won the 4th T20I by 87 runs and this 5th T20I by 7 wickets. The final scoreline therefore reflects both parts of the story: India’s early dominance in the series, and New Zealand’s strong response at the end.
For New Zealand, the two late wins provided a positive finish to a series that had already been decided. Winning by 87 runs in one match and by 7 wickets in a chase in the next showed that they could win in different situations, and the performances of Seifert, Phillips and Milne in the finale gave the home side clear positives. For India, the series win remained the main prize, even though the last two results narrowed the margin and gave New Zealand the final word in Hamilton.
The series also finished with a clear individual storyline. Phillips ended as Player of the Series with 341 runs, the most runs by a batter in a bilateral T20I series, and his unbeaten innings in the finale underlined that achievement. Milne’s Player of the Match award in the 5th T20I added a second individual highlight to the final match. Together, those awards help explain why the finale felt competitive and entertaining, even though the series itself had already been won by India before the last two matches.
FAQs
Who won the 5th T20I? New Zealand won the 5th T20I, beating India by 7 wickets at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on 1 November 2026.
What was the final score? India scored 191 for 8 in 20 overs, and New Zealand replied with 195 for 3 in 18 overs, winning with 12 balls remaining.
Who was Player of the Match? Adam Milne was Player of the Match for his bowling figures of 4 for 19.
Who was Player of the Series? Glenn Phillips was Player of the Series, finishing with 341 runs, the most runs by a batter in a bilateral T20I series.
Who won the series and by what margin? India won the five-match T20I series 3-2. India won the first three matches, while New Zealand won the 4th T20I by 87 runs and the 5th T20I by 7 wickets.
Conclusion
New Zealand’s 7-wicket win in Hamilton was a strong finish to the series, built on Adam Milne’s 4 for 19, Tim Seifert’s 93 and Glenn Phillips’s unbeaten 65. India had done the decisive work earlier in the series by winning the first three matches, and that is why the visitors still left New Zealand as 3-2 series winners. The finale, however, belonged to the hosts, who chased 192 with 12 balls to spare and ended the tour with two straight wins.
For the full scorecard, see the full scorecard on Cricbuzz.
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