IND vs NZ 4th T20I: Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah Strike After Tim Seifert's Fifty
Tim Seifert races to a 25-ball fifty as NZ post a strong powerplay; Kuldeep removes Conway, and Bumrah gets Ravindra to reduce NZ to 2 down.
India staged a strong fightback in the fourth T20 International against New Zealand on Wednesday, with Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav leading the bowling recovery after an aggressive half-century from Tim Seifert. The match is being played at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium as part of the five-match series, which India have already clinched by winning the first three games.
After being put in to bat, New Zealand got off to a brisk start, driven by Seifert’s attacking approach at the top of the order. The wicketkeeper-batter reached his fifty off just 25 balls, applying early pressure on the Indian bowling attack with a mix of power and placement. His innings gave the visitors momentum during the powerplay overs.
India responded through their senior bowlers, with Bumrah and Kuldeep striking at crucial moments to peg New Zealand back. Both bowlers picked up a wicket each, reducing the visitors to two down and slowing the scoring rate after Seifert’s explosive start. The breakthroughs helped India regain control as the innings progressed.
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Earlier in the evening, India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl, citing conditions that could assist bowlers under lights. India made a notable change to their playing XI, with Ishan Kishan missing the match due to a niggle. He was replaced by fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, strengthening the pace attack.
All-rounder Axar Patel remained sidelined as he continues to recover from a finger injury sustained in the second T20I. Suryakumar indicated at the toss that Axar could return for the final match of the series, depending on his fitness.
With the series already secured, India are using the fourth T20I to test combinations and manage player workloads, while New Zealand are aiming to put up a strong performance to avoid a clean sweep. The match remains finely poised as both teams look to assert momentum in the middle overs.
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