Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 82 lifts New Zealand to 225 for 4 against India in Christchurch

Glenn Phillips finished unbeaten on 82 from 40 balls to carry New Zealand to 225 for 4 against India in the first T20I at Hagley Oval

India won the toss and chose to bowl in Christchurch, and spent the next twenty overs watching a New Zealand innings that never slowed. The hosts closed on 225 for 4, having scored 65 in the powerplay, 93 through the middle overs and 67 in the last five.

Phillips did most of the late damage. His 82 not out from 40 balls contained eight fours and three sixes, a strike rate of 205, and brought up his 13th fifty in Twenty20 internationals.

The total equals New Zealand's highest against India in the format, matching the 225 they made at Thiruvananthapuram in February.

Allen and Seifert set the tempo

Tim Seifert opened the scoring rate out, taking 17 from one over that included a free hit and a six onto the roof. He made 24 from 17 before edging behind to Sanju Samson off Mayank Yadav.

Finn Allen was the more destructive of the two. He hit three fours in succession off Arshdeep Singh, then two sixes off Axar Patel in the last over of the powerplay, and had reached 45 from 24 with five fours and two sixes when he mistimed a loft to long-off, also off Axar.

That wicket ended a powerplay that had already given New Zealand 65 runs and the shape of the innings.

India drop the chance that mattered

Daryl Mitchell was on 16 when Abhishek Sharma put him down at long-on. He added another twelve before Arshdeep Singh had him caught at short third man for 28.

By then Mitchell and Phillips had put on 42 together, the partnership that moved New Zealand from a good position to a commanding one.

Bevon Jacobs kept the rate climbing with 31 from 16, three of them sixes, until Arshdeep kicked the ball onto the stumps to run him out. Michael Bracewell survived an lbw review shortly after arriving.

No relief for the bowlers

None of India's five bowlers escaped at under ten an over. Axar Patel was the most expensive at 1-51, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar going for 0-49 and Arshdeep Singh 1-45.

Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy were the tidiest of a wayward set, returning 1-40 and 0-40 respectively.

Bhuvneshwar was struck on the wrist in the 16th over, one of several moments in which the fielding side looked second to the ball.

Phillips finishes it off

The last five overs went for 67, and Phillips took the bulk of them. He hit three fours off Axar in the 14th over, pulled a six off Mayank Yadav, and brought out a switch-hit four against Bhuvneshwar.

He was still there at the end, unbeaten, having faced fewer than a third of the innings' deliveries and scored more than a third of its runs.

The 225 is the highest T20I total New Zealand have made at Hagley Oval, and the joint-highest they have made against India anywhere.

India begin the reply fast

India started their chase without losing anybody, reaching 55 for 0 after 3.4 overs and needing 171 from 98 balls.

The required rate sits above ten an over for the rest of the innings, which is roughly what New Zealand managed from the first ball of the match.

This is the opening match of a five-match T20I series, and the second game returns to the same ground on 24 October.

Scorecard: New Zealand 225 for 4 in 20 overs (Phillips 82*, Allen 45, Jacobs 31, Mitchell 28; Axar Patel 1-51, Arshdeep Singh 1-45, Mayank Yadav 1-40) v India 55 for 0 after 3.4 overs.

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