The New Zealand opening batsmen Finn Allen and Tim Seifert maintained their outstanding form in the first Twenty20 International against India, helping set a formidable total of 225 for 4 in 20 overs at Christchurch on Thursday.
Allen scored 45 runs off 24 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes, while Seifert contributed 24 runs from 17 balls, including three fours and a six. The pair put together a 49-run opening partnership within the first five overs, setting the base for New Zealand to amass 65 runs by the end of the powerplay.
Over 20 innings as an opening partnership, Seifert and Allen have accumulated 890 runs at an average of 46.84, scoring at a rate of 11.28 runs per over. They have recorded five fifty-plus stands and two century stands. Among the 100 opening pairs in men’s T20 internationals with at least 15 innings together, this duo holds the highest partnership run rate of 11.28, followed by Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who have scored 1,033 runs at 11.16.
New Zealand’s total of 225 for 4 is their highest in home T20 internationals, fuelled by a hard-hitting unbeaten 82 from Glenn Phillips and the strong starts from Allen and Seifert during the powerplay.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, making his return after four years, found the match challenging, conceding 49 runs in four overs. Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav, and Axar Patel each took a wicket but all leaked runs at over 10 runs per over. Phillips struck eight fours and three sixes in his 40-ball innings, while Allen and Bevon Jacobs, who scored 31 from 16 balls with three sixes, also contributed aggressively.
Kumar began with a tidy over conceding four runs. However, Finn Allen opened the scoring with a boundary off Arshdeep Singh in the next over, triggering a flurry of runs. Seifert then attacked Kumar in his second over, hitting two boundaries and a six, with 17 runs scored in that over.
Arshdeep Singh further conceded four boundaries in the following over, including three consecutive fours by Allen. Mayank Yadav curbed the scoring briefly by dismissing Seifert for 24 off 17 balls, caught by Sanju Samson after attempting a big shot. After five overs, New Zealand stood at 49 for 1.
Allen cleared the ropes for a six off Axar Patel, reaching the 50-run team mark in 5.2 overs, followed soon by Daryl Mitchell’s six. Axar’s over yielded 16 runs, and the side finished the powerplay at 65 for 1, with Allen unbeaten on 33 and Mitchell on 7.
Allen continued to score confidently but was caught at long-off off Axar Patel for 45 from 24 balls, which included five fours and two sixes. New Zealand was 80 for 2 in 7.4 overs.
At the halfway point, the total was 98 for 2 in 10 overs with Phillips on 12 not out and Mitchell on 15 not out. Mitchell scored back-to-back fours against Mayank Yadav in the 11th over while Phillips hit a six over deep backward square leg.
Mitchell was then dismissed by Arshdeep Singh for 28 runs off 19 balls, caught by Bhuvneshwar Kumar while attempting a pull shot. New Zealand’s score was 122 for 3 in 12.1 overs. On the following ball, Bevon Jacobs hit a towering six over the sightscreen off Arshdeep.
Phillips maintained momentum with three consecutive boundaries to end Arshdeep’s spell at 1 for 51 runs in four overs. By the 15th over, New Zealand was 158 for 3, with Phillips unbeaten on 41 and Jacobs on 16.
Bhuvneshwar conceded 14 runs in the next over, including two sixes from Jacobs, who was striking particularly well despite a wrist injury sustained during the over. Phillips reached his 13th T20 international half-century off 27 balls with three fours and three sixes.
New Zealand continued their aggressive approach, scoring 18 off Mayank Yadav’s final over, with Jacobs hitting two sixes and a four. Mayank finished with figures of 1 for 40 as New Zealand approached the 200-run mark.
A combination of fine fielding and running led to Bevon Jacobs being run out, ending a 73-run partnership between him and Phillips. Jacobs scored 31 runs off 16 balls, including three sixes. New Zealand was 195 for 4 in 17.3 overs.
The team reached 200 runs in 18.4 overs. As the innings concluded, New Zealand was 211 for 4, with Phillips unbeaten on 74 and Michael Bracewell on 3.
The last over yielded 14 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar as Phillips finished on 82 not out from 40 balls, containing eight fours and three sixes, with Bracewell remaining unbeaten on 7. New Zealand ended on 225 for 4.