Seifert makes fifty but India keep New Zealand to 215/7 in 4th T20I

Visakhapatnam (PTI) Tim Seifert made a blistering fifty but the Indian bowlers' middle-over discipline did not allow New Zealand to progress beyond 215 for seven in the fourth T20 here on Wednesday.

Seifert (62 off 36 balls, 7x4, 3x6) was the standout Kiwi batter but he did not have enough followers to fully drive home the advantage after India opted to field first.

Seifert, who joined the team after appearing in the recent Big Bash League, did not hide his intention, smoking Arshdeep Singh for three fours in a row, although two of them were off edges.

But in the next over, the right-hander smashed Harshit Rana for a six over long-on, showcasing his muscle and timing.

In the pacer’s next over, Seifert eked out a six and four in successive balls before sending a Jasprit Bumrah delivery to the sight-screen for another maximum. New Zealand reached fifty in the fourth over and ended the Power Play at 71 for no loss.

Seifert’s frenetic innings also helped Devon Conway (44) to settle down and then have a go at the Indian bowlers.

After meandering to 9 off 9 balls, the left-hander found his range, plundering two fours and a six off Ravi Bishnoi — a loft between long-on and mid-wicket, a square cut and a slog sweep.

Conway made 35 runs off the next 13 balls but soon holed out to Rinku Singh at deep cover off Kuldeep Yadav, as the home side snapped a 100-run opening wicket alliance.

Seifert soon completed a 25-ball fifty but India found a small creek on the door, and soon snaffled four wickets in the space of 37 runs to reduce the Kiwis to 137 for four in 13.4 overs.

The Indians did not bowl any magic spell but the visiting batters were overly eager to maintain a run rate of 12 that the Seifert-Conway combine was scoring at.

But that overzealous attempt resulted in them losing wickets in a cluster.

Skipper Mitchell Santner looked good to play another valuable cameo, carting Bishnoi for a four and six in consecutive deliveries.

But an indecisive take-off for a quick single eventuated in the direct throw of Hardik Pandya, who did not bowl on the night, reaching the stumps before Santner.

Daryl Mitchell (39 not out, 18b) made some strong hits in the death overs to take New Zealand past 200. But even without an injured Ishan Kishan the tourists might feel that they were around 20 runs short of a more competitive total on this easy-paced pitch.