Auckland: Centurion Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell gave India a taste of their own medicine with blazing knocks as New Zealand registered a massive 259 for seven in the fourth T20 International here on Friday.
It was the highest T20I total against India by any team.
The New Zealand batters’ no-holds barred approach offered little surprise, with the Indian batters pushing the boundaries of a safe target in the third T20I which the tourists won to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Phillips (107, 49b) and Bracewell (65, 25b), who added 115 runs off mere 41 balls for the fifth wicket, were the apostles of this new approach from New Zealand, always in the hunt for a boundary.
After Tim Siefert and Daryl Mitchell succumbed to pacer Mayank Yadav, New Zealand found a foothold through the 59-run stand between Phillips and Finn Allen for the third wicket.
But that was just an appetiser. When Allen and then Bevon Jacobs went back in rather quick succession, the Kiwis appeared to have a little momentum.
But it was not the case as Phillips and Bracewell tore into the Indian attack with a blistering array of shots.
Phillips used his brute power first against pacer Prince Yadav, sending him for 6, 4, 4 and the right-hander was even more brutal against Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Phillips, who reached his fifty in 31 balls, exploited the gentle pace of Reddy to optimum effect, carting him for 4, 6, 6, 6, 6 to score 32 runs in the 16th over.
The final six of that sequence over sight screen was glorious in its execution, a straight elbow giving his shot power and timing.
At the other end, Bracewell was equally and, sometimes, even more bruising than Phillips.
The left-hander used his favourable match-up against left-arm spinner Axar Patel to peel off 4, 4, 4 and 6 in an over as he reached fifty in just 18 balls.
Mayank was India’s most impressive bowler on the day, hustling the batters with deliveries in the mid-140s.
But that extreme pace became his bane as Bracewell used the fast deliveries to eke out two sixes in a row through a flick and a scoop.
However, he fell leg before to Prince after reaching his fifty, but that did not stop Phillips.
It was a stunning alliance that lifted New Zealand to 227 for five in 17.2 overs from 112 for four in the 11th over.
The 29-year-old Phillips soon reached his third T20I hundred off just 46 balls with a straight six off pacer Arshdeep Singh. His second fifty came in just 15 balls.
It was so symbolic of New Zealand’s dominance on the day. Phillips fell to Reddy after going past the three-figure mark, but his job was done by then as New Zealand milked 85 runs off the last five overs.