India vs New Zealand Scorecard: India Lead T20I Series 2-0
India have won both T20Is in Christchurch by four wickets, including a record 226-run chase. Here are the scorecards, standout players and what comes next in Wellington.
- India lead the five-match T20I series in New Zealand 2-0 after two four-wicket wins at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
- India chased 226 in the opener, their highest successful T20I chase, then recovered from 70 for 5 to chase 181 in game two.
- The third T20I is on October 27 in Wellington at 07:00 UTC (12:30 IST), with Ishan Kishan, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson all missing.
The India vs New Zealand cricket everyone is searching for is a men's Twenty20 International (T20I) series in New Zealand, and India lead it 2-0. As of October 26, 2026, India have won both games at Hagley Oval in Christchurch by four wickets, chasing 226 in the opener and 181 in the second match. The third T20I is in Wellington on Tuesday, October 27, starting at 20:00 local time (07:00 UTC, 12:30 IST).
Which series is this?
This is a bilateral series, not an ICC tournament. It opens India's 12-match tour of New Zealand, which runs from October 22 to December 1 and includes five T20Is, five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Tests, according to Outlook India's tour guide.
The BCCI named a 16-player T20I squad on October 6, with Shreyas Iyer as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain. Mitchell Santner leads New Zealand. The board said its ODI and Test squads would be announced separately.
The rivalry has extra edge this year. The same two teams met in the T20 World Cup final in March, when India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in Ahmedabad to win a record third title.
1st T20I scorecard: India complete a record chase
New Zealand batted first on October 22 and made 225 for 4, their highest T20I total against India, according to ESPNcricinfo's match report. Glenn Phillips hit 82 not out off 40 balls, Finn Allen made 45 off 24, and Bevon Jacobs added a quick 31 off 16.
India's reply began at a sprint. Sanju Samson (67 off 33) and Abhishek Sharma (29 off 12) put on 93 for the first wicket in 35 balls. New Zealand's spinners then struck: Michael Bracewell and Santner took two wickets each, and India slid from 93 for 0 to 122 for 4.
Iyer (42 off 28), Axar Patel (24 off 14) and Naman Dhir steadied the chase. Dhir finished unbeaten on 42 and ended the game with a top-edged six, with two balls to spare. ESPNcricinfo's scorecard lists his innings as 15 balls, though some other outlets give 17 or 19.
- Result: India 230/6 (19.4 overs) beat New Zealand 225/4 by four wickets.
- Player of the match: Sanju Samson.
- Best bowling: Bracewell 2/37 and Santner 2/39 for New Zealand; Mayank Yadav 1/40 for India.
- Record: 226 is India's highest successful T20I chase, beating 209, Outlook India reported.
2nd T20I scorecard: Tilak Varma finishes the job
Two days later, on the same pitch, India won the toss and bowled. New Zealand slipped to 41 for 3 in the sixth over before Phillips (70 off 43) and Jacobs (58 off 46) added 116 for the fourth wicket. They closed on 180 for 5, with Arshdeep Singh taking 2 for 33, according to the official scorecard.
The chase nearly fell apart. Santner took 4 for 21, and India were 70 for 5 in the 11th over. The NZ Herald pointed to New Zealand's missed chances, including Santner carrying a catch over the boundary rope to reprieve Samson on 5. Dhir's 31 off 17 kept India in touch.
Tilak (51 not out off 26) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (26 not out off 13) then added an unbroken 69 off 30 balls, India's highest seventh-wicket stand in men's T20Is. Reddy hit the winning runs with one ball left. "At that stage I was just thinking about playing till the end," Tilak told ESPNcricinfo.
- Result: India 181/6 (19.5 overs) beat New Zealand 180/5 by four wickets.
- Player of the match: Tilak Varma.
- Milestone: It was India's 300th men's T20I, according to ESPNcricinfo's report, which also noted New Zealand fielded poorly at key moments.
Top performers after two matches
Adding up the two official scorecards, these players have shaped the series so far:
- Glenn Phillips (NZ): 152 runs for once out, with 82 not out and 70.
- Mitchell Santner (NZ): six wickets, including 4 for 21 in the second game.
- Sanju Samson (IND): 81 runs, including a 23-ball half-century in the opener.
- Naman Dhir (IND): 73 runs off 32 balls, plus the catch that removed Phillips in game two.
- Arshdeep Singh (IND): three wickets in the series and 38 in 2026, one short of the calendar-year record for a Full Member player, per ESPNcricinfo's preview.
The same preview notes that Santner and Bracewell have taken eight wickets between them in 16 overs, while Axar, India's only specialist spinner, has conceded just under ten runs an over.
Team news before Wellington
Both sides are dealing with injuries. The BCCI said on October 26 that Ishan Kishan has a low-grade right adductor strain from the first T20I and will miss the third game, WION reported. Uncapped wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra stays with the squad, and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to bat at No. 3 again.
New Zealand will be without two fast bowlers. Matt Henry, who left the field after two overs on Saturday with what Santner called a tight calf, is out of the rest of the T20Is, and Lockie Ferguson misses the Wellington match, according to an IANS report. Blair Tickner joins for the last three games. Head coach Rob Walter said after the defeat that "a performance like that deserves a win."
Conditions will change too. ESPNcricinfo expects more wind at Wellington's Hnry Stadium, formerly Sky Stadium, with square boundaries of around 60 metres. Walter summed up the mood: "We just haven't been able to put the finishing touches on it each time."
What's next: schedule and start times
All remaining T20Is start at 20:00 New Zealand Daylight Time, which is 07:00 UTC and 12:30 IST, per Outlook India and ESPNcricinfo. Outlook's match preview confirms India can seal the series with a win on Tuesday.
- 3rd T20I: Tuesday, October 27, Hnry Stadium, Wellington.
- 4th T20I: Friday, October 30, Eden Park, Auckland.
- 5th T20I: Sunday, November 1, Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Five ODIs follow on November 4 (Auckland), November 7 (Wellington), November 10 (Hamilton), and November 13 and 15 (Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui). Outlook lists their start as 07:30 IST, which is 02:00 UTC and 15:00 in New Zealand. The two Tests are at the Basin Reserve in Wellington from November 19 and in Christchurch from November 27, starting 03:30 IST (22:00 UTC the previous day, 11:00 local).
Our take
A 2-0 scoreline flatters India a little. Both games went into the final over, and the second turned on New Zealand's dropped catches as much as on India's batting. Santner and Bracewell have been the best bowlers in the series, and India's middle order has looked uneasy against their spin.
India's answer has been depth. Picking batting all-rounders such as Dhir and Reddy instead of an extra specialist bowler has worked twice, but it leaves Axar as the only frontline spinner. Wellington's wind and shorter square boundaries will test that balance. With Henry and Ferguson missing, New Zealand must win on Tuesday to keep the series alive.
For the weekend's other big trending fixture, see our Manchester United vs Bournemouth recap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the score in the India vs New Zealand T20I series?
As of October 26, 2026, India lead the five-match T20I series 2-0. They won the first game by four wickets with two balls left and the second by four wickets with one ball left, both at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
When and where is the 3rd T20I between India and New Zealand?
The third T20I is on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at Hnry Stadium in Wellington. It starts at 20:00 New Zealand time, which is 07:00 UTC and 12:30 IST.
Who won the first India vs New Zealand T20I in October 2026?
India won by four wickets. New Zealand made 225 for 4, led by Glenn Phillips' 82 not out, and India reached 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs. Sanju Samson top-scored with 67 off 33 balls and was player of the match.
Is Ishan Kishan playing in the 3rd T20I?
No. The BCCI said Kishan is recovering from a low-grade right adductor strain picked up in the first T20I and is ruled out of the Wellington game. Kumar Kushagra remains with the squad as cover.
How many matches are on India's 2026 tour of New Zealand?
There are 12 matches: five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The tour runs from October 22 to December 1, 2026.
Sources
- New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I, Christchurch - Full Scorecard, ESPNcricinfo
- Samson, Iyer and Dhir pull off record chase against NZ in T20I series opener, ESPNcricinfo
- New Zealand vs India, 2nd T20I, Christchurch - Full Scorecard, ESPNcricinfo
- Tilak, Reddy, Dhir seal thriller for India to go 2-0 up against sloppy New Zealand, ESPNcricinfo
- Tilak Varma: I have done what everyone believed, ESPNcricinfo
- New Zealand hope to salvage series as India brace for Wellington wind, ESPNcricinfo
- India and India A squads for New Zealand tour announced, BCCI
- India Vs New Zealand T20I Series: Full Schedule, Live Streaming, Venues, Fixtures, Outlook India
- Team India Shatters Record With Highest-Ever T20I Chase Against New Zealand, Outlook India
- India Vs New Zealand 3rd T20I Live Streaming: Preview, Squad, When And Where To Watch, Outlook India
- IND vs NZ: Ishan Kishan ruled out of Wellington T20I, WION
- Henry ruled out of T20I series, Ferguson to miss third match against India, Telangana Today (IANS)
- Black Caps v India result: second Twenty20 international from Christchurch, NZ Herald
- T20 World Cup final: India defeat New Zealand by 96 runs for third title, Al Jazeera
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 14 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
