India Clinch 3rd T20I Thriller by 4 Wickets to Take 2-1 Series Lead
India edged New Zealand by 4 wickets in a nail-biting 3rd T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on February 8, 2026, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series with two games to play. Chasing 198 on a high-scoring Hyderabad deck, India overcame a mid-innings wobble to reach 199 for 6 in 19.4 overs, powered by Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 92 off 48 balls (8 fours, 6 sixes) and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explosive 68 off 38 (6 fours, 5 sixes). Their 124-run stand in 64 balls turned a tricky chase into a controlled affair. New Zealand had earlier posted 197 for 7, built on Rachin Ravindra’s 78 off 46 and Glenn Phillips’ blistering 42 off 18, but Arshdeep Singh’s 4 for 28 and Varun Chakaravarthy’s 3 for 32 kept the total under par. The win — India’s 13th straight T20I triumph at home — keeps them on course for a series victory and a perfect build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Hyderabad’s batting paradise — short boundaries, true bounce, and dew under lights — produced a run-fest with 396 runs scored in 39.4 overs. Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to bowl first was tactical brilliance, exploiting early swing before the surface eased. For Mitchell Santner (stand-in captain), the defeat was agonizing — New Zealand’s bowling economy of 10.10 the worst conceded in a T20I in Hyderabad. As Suryakumar smashed the winning six off Adam Milne amid fireworks and chants of “SKY! SKY!”, the series narrative tilted: India’s batting depth reigns supreme, New Zealand desperate for a fightback in Lucknow.
India XI (Suryakumar Yadav captain) Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c & wk), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan
New Zealand XI (Mitchell Santner captain) Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
New Zealand – 197-7 (20 overs) Allen fell for a duck in the first over — caught at mid-off off Arshdeep. Ravindra and Chapman added 78; Chapman holed out to long-on off Chakaravarthy for 38. Ravindra reached 78 off 46 (9×4, 3×6) before skying Bishnoi. Phillips detonated 42 off 18 (3×4, 4×6) in the final four overs, but Arshdeep’s triple-wicket 19th over (including Phillips and Santner) capped the damage. Arshdeep 4-28, Chakaravarthy 3-32, Bishnoi 1-35.
India – 199-6 (19.4 overs) Abhishek (28 off 12) and Jaiswal added 68 in 5.4 overs. Jaiswal and Suryakumar then took complete control — 124 in 64 balls. Jaiswal 68 off 38 (6×4, 5×6) — caught at long-off off Santner. Suryakumar 92* off 48 (8×4, 6×6) — finished with a towering six over midwicket off Henry. Tilak Varma (8*) hit the winning runs.
Key Moments
- Jaiswal’s 68 — fastest T20I fifty by an Indian opener vs NZ
- 124-run Jaiswal-Suryakumar stand in 64 balls — highest 3rd-wicket vs NZ in T20Is
- Arshdeep’s triple-wicket over — first in T20Is vs NZ
- 48-run win margin — India’s largest by runs in Hyderabad vs NZ
- 26 sixes in the match — joint-most in an India-NZ T20I
Player of the Match: Suryakumar Yadav (92* & 1 catch)
Suryakumar Yadav: “Jaiswal set the tone, bowlers finished it. Hyderabad always special.”
Mitchell Santner: “We were 20 short. SKY is a different beast at home.”
Series: India 2–1 New Zealand Next → 4th T20I: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow — February 11 (D/N)
India one win from sealing the series; New Zealand desperate for a fightback under Lucknow lights.
