Hamilton [New Zealand], November 1 : India head coach Gautam Gambhir hailed the team's collective effort after India clinched the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 3-2, despite suffering a seven-wicket defeat in the final match at Seddon Park on Sunday.
Taking to X, Gambhir shared a message celebrating the team's collective approach and wrote, “Built as a Team. Won as a Team. Always for India.”
https://x.com/GautamGambhir/status/2116867993653408072?a=Dsm2WiK_9AW0NcqhGe0&s=20
India had secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after winning the first three T20Is. New Zealand, however, bounced back by winning the final two matches to finish the series 3-2.
Coming to the fifth T20I, New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, chasing down the target of 192 in 18 overs to register a consolation victory, while India clinched the five-match series 3-2.
Tim Seifert led New Zealand's chase with a blistering 93 off 50 balls, including 11 fours and five sixes, while Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 65 off 38 deliveries, smashing eight fours and three sixes.
The duo added 86 runs for the third wicket to put the hosts in a commanding position. Phillips also registered his fourth half-century of the series, joining Mohammad Rizwan and S Ravichandran in the list of batters to score four or more 50-plus scores in a bilateral T20I series.
Earlier, India recovered from a difficult start at 19/2 through a 93-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and skipper Shreyas Iyer. Kishan scored 61 off 32 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes, while Iyer contributed 50 off 23 deliveries, including three fours and four sixes. Naman Dhir added 33 off 23 balls, and Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 22 off 17 deliveries as India posted 191/8 in their 20 overs.
New Zealand pacer Adam Milne was the standout bowler, claiming four wickets for 19 runs, while Blair Tickner and Nathan Smith also picked up wickets. Despite India's competitive total, Seifert and Phillips powered New Zealand to victory with 14 balls to spare.