India beat New Zealand by four wickets, with two balls to spare, in a high-scoring opener to the five-match T20I series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 22. Chasing 226 after New Zealand posted 225 for 4, India got home at 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Put in to bat, New Zealand built their total around Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 82 off 40 balls, with Finn Allen's 45 at the top giving the innings a fast start. It was reported as New Zealand's highest T20I total against India, and set the tourists a stiff target to chase on their own tour opener.
Sanju Samson led India's reply with 67 off 33 balls, and with the required rate climbing late, Naman Dhir finished the match unbeaten on 42 off a brief, rapid-fire cameo to drag India over the line with two balls still unused. It was a chase that swung late, with New Zealand's bowlers keeping the required rate high deep into the innings before Dhir's finishing burst settled it.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner appeared to hurt himself landing awkwardly while fielding during India's chase, though he returned to complete his bowling spell. His fitness for the second T20I, also at Hagley Oval, had not been confirmed as this article was being written.
A 1-0 lead from a match this close is a strong start for Shreyas Iyer's squad on a tour that also includes five ODIs and two Tests, and gives India's white-ball depth players — several of them playing their way into contention outside the senior Test and ODI groups — an early marker to build on. For New Zealand, a competitive total undone by a clinical India finish will sting, but Phillips' form is a genuine positive heading into the rest of the series.
The second T20I follows at the same venue on October 24, before the series moves to Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton. New Zealand will be looking to level the series quickly before India can build further momentum.
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Scores and figures in this article are verified against same-day and freshly re-checked reporting as of October 22, 2026.
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