India chase 226 to beat New Zealand by 4 wickets in 1st T20I; Samson hits 67
Sanju Samson's 33-ball 67 and Naman Dhir's unbeaten 42 took India past New Zealand's 225/4 with two balls to spare at Hagley Oval, a record chase that gives India a 1-0 series lead.
At a glance
- India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the first T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Thursday, October 22, reaching 230/6 in 19.4 overs to chase 226.
- Sanju Samson made 67 off 33 balls and was player of the match; Naman Dhir finished unbeaten on 42 off 15 balls and captain Shreyas Iyer scored 42.
- Glenn Phillips's unbeaten 82 off 40 balls and Finn Allen's 45 had lifted New Zealand to 225/4.
- It was India's highest successful T20I run chase and the highest at Hagley Oval; India lead the five-match series 1-0.
- The second T20I is also in Christchurch on Saturday, October 24.
India pulled off a record chase to beat New Zealand by four wickets in the first T20 international at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Thursday, October 22, reaching a target of 226 with two balls to spare. Sanju Samson's 67 off 33 balls set up the chase and Naman Dhir's unbeaten 42 off 15 finished it, giving India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Match summary
| Result | India won by 4 wickets (2 balls remaining) |
| Venue | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Toss | India (Shreyas Iyer) chose to bowl |
| New Zealand | 225/4 (20 overs) — Glenn Phillips 82* (40), Finn Allen 45 (24), Bevon Jacobs 31 (16) |
| India | 230/6 (19.4 overs) — Sanju Samson 67 (33), Naman Dhir 42* (15), Shreyas Iyer 42 (28), Axar Patel 24 (14) |
| Player of the match | Sanju Samson |
| Series | India lead 1-0 (five matches) |
How the game unfolded
After India's captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl, New Zealand made a fast start through Finn Allen, who hit 45 off 24 balls. Glenn Phillips then took over in the second half of the innings, finishing unbeaten on 82 off 40 balls with eight fours and three sixes. He added 73 for the fourth wicket with Bevon Jacobs, who struck 31 off 16, as New Zealand piled up 225/4.
India answered in kind. Abhishek Sharma hit his first ball for six, and Samson raced to a rapid half-century as India reached 94/1 in the powerplay. Samson's 67 included eight fours and four sixes. New Zealand's spinners, led by Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell, fought back in the middle overs, removing Samson, Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan, and India were 119/3 at the halfway mark.
Iyer kept the chase alive with 42 off 28 balls, and when Lockie Ferguson removed Axar Patel for 24, India still needed 49 from the last four overs. Dhir, batting in the lower order, smashed an unbeaten 42 off 15 balls to get India home in the final over.
Records
- India's chase of 226 is described as the team's highest successful run chase in men's T20 internationals.
- It is the highest successful chase at Hagley Oval.
- Dhir's 42* is the highest score by an Indian batting at No. 7 or lower in a successful T20I chase, passing Irfan Pathan's 33* against Sri Lanka in 2009.
Background
The match opened a 12-match tour of New Zealand that includes five T20Is followed by ODIs and Tests. India arrived without fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned to the side. New Zealand, at home, were looking to start strongly on a Hagley Oval pitch known for true bounce and fast outfields.
Reactions
Samson's innings was the standout of a high-scoring night in which 455 runs were scored across the two innings. For India, the result showed the depth of a batting order that survived a middle-overs wobble with Dhir coming in low down. For New Zealand, the defeat came despite a total that looked match-winning at the break, and their bowlers conceded 230 in 19.4 overs.
What happens next
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd T20I | Saturday, October 24 | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| 3rd T20I | Tuesday, October 27 | Wellington |
| 4th T20I | Friday, October 30 | Auckland |
| 5th T20I | Sunday, November 1 | Hamilton |
The second T20I starts at 8pm local time (12:00pm PKT, 12:30pm IST). New Zealand must win it to avoid going 2-0 down, while India will hope their bowlers can tighten up after conceding 225.
Questions people are asking
Who won the 1st T20I between India and New Zealand in 2026?
India won by four wickets at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on October 22, 2026, chasing 226 with two balls to spare. Sanju Samson scored 67 off 33 balls and was named player of the match.
When is the 2nd T20I between New Zealand and India?
The second T20I is on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, starting at 8pm local time (12:00pm Pakistan time, 12:30pm India time).
What is India's highest successful T20I chase?
India's chase of 226 against New Zealand in Christchurch on October 22, 2026, finishing on 230/6, is described as India's highest successful run chase in T20 internationals.
