India vs New Zealand: The October and November series in New Zealand was dominated by batting. Glenn Phillips scored 341 runs, Abhishek Sharma hit a 38-ball century, and New Zealand posted the highest total ever made against India. A few bowlers still stood out. India won the series 3-2, and Mitchell Santner finished as the leading wicket-taker with nine at an average of 15.56, followed by Adam Milne with six at 21.67.
Top 5 Bowling Performances in India vs New Zealand T20I
1. Adam Milne, 4 for 19 (Hamilton, 5th T20I)
This was the best spell of the India vs New Zealand series. Milne took four wickets for 19 in his four overs, at an economy below five, on a pitch that favoured the bats. India were trying to finish the series on a high, but they managed only 191 for 8, even with Shreyas Iyer’s fifty off 23 balls.
Nathan Smith took two for 28, and Blair Tickner also took two wickets. New Zealand then chased 192 in 18 overs and won by seven wickets with 12 balls to spare, helped by Tim Seifert’s 93. Milne was named Player of the Match, and the figures were the second-best of his T20I career. The win did not change the series, which India took 3-2, but it ended the tour on a strong note for the hosts.
2. Mitchell Santner, 4 for 21 (Christchurch, 2nd T20I)
Santner’s spell was the best of the series by an economy measure, and it came in a match that was closer than the result suggests. His slow left-arm bowling gave India little room through the middle overs, and he took four wickets for 21 runs. India still won the match, but only after being pushed.
It was part of a consistent series from him. He finished with nine wickets, including two for 39 in the first match, two for 24 in Auckland and the milestone wicket of Arshdeep Singh’s career. He also overtook Ish Sodhi to become New Zealand’s most-capped T20I player, with 143 appearances.
3. Mayank Yadav, 3 for 48 (Auckland, 4th T20I)
New Zealand scored 259 for 7 on a ground with short boundaries, with Phillips and Bracewell attacking every bowler. Mayank removed Seifert in the first over, giving India a brief hope, and he finished as the most successful Indian bowler of the innings with three wickets.
Arshdeep, Prince Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel took one wicket each. In a match that was effectively decided by the batters, Mayank’s three wickets were the only real success for India’s attack, and he kept going when the match slipped away.
4. Mitchell Santner, 1 for 17 in 3 overs (Wellington, 3rd T20I)
Santner’s spell in Wellington is the most economical of the series. India chased 199 in 13.2 overs, and almost every New Zealand bowler was hit hard. Duffy conceded 44 in two overs, Milne 33 in two and Bracewell 36 in two. Santner bowled three overs for 17 runs with one wicket, an economy of 5.66.
In a game where India scored more than 14 an over, that kind of control is rare. Abhishek Sharma’s 113 off 38 and the 133-run opening stand with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi overwhelmed everyone else, but Santner was the one bowler who limited the damage.
5. Arshdeep Singh, 2 for 33 (Christchurch, 2nd T20I)
Arshdeep took two for 33 in the second T20I, the best figures by an Indian bowler in that match, and he was one of the few India bowlers who restricted New Zealand’s scoring through the series.
His biggest moment came in Auckland, where he dismissed Santner to become the first Indian bowler to take 150 T20I wickets and only the ninth overall. It came on a night when India lost by 90 runs, so it was a personal highlight rather than a team one, but the milestone makes it worth remembering.
FAQs
Q. Who took the best bowling figures in the India vs New Zealand T20I series?
A. Adam Milne took four wickets for 19 runs in the fifth T20I.
Q. Who was the leading wicket-taker in the series?
A. Mitchell Santner finished with nine wickets at an average of 15.56.
Q. How many wickets did Mayank Yadav take in the fourth T20I?
A. Mayank Yadav took three wickets for 48 runs.
Q. What milestone did Arshdeep Singh achieve during the series?
A. Arshdeep became the first Indian bowler to take 150 T20I wickets.
Q. How many wickets did Adam Milne take in the series?
A. Milne took six wickets at an average of 21.67.
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