India completed the highest successful run chase in their men's Twenty20 international history at Hagley Oval on Thursday, overhauling New Zealand's 225 for 4 with four wickets and two balls to spare in the first T20I of the five-match series in Christchurch.

Sanju Samson's 67 off 33 balls built the platform and Naman Dhir's unbeaten 42 from 15 deliveries finished the job as India reached 230 for 6 in 19.4 overs, giving the tourists a 1-0 lead in a rematch of the 2026 T20 World Cup final.

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I 2026 — Match Summary

India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and bowled first, and New Zealand made the most of favourable early conditions to post 225 for 4 — their highest home total against India. The chase that followed rewrote India's record books: their previous best successful T20I run chase was 209, against Australia in Visakhapatnam in 2023.

Glenn Phillips Powers New Zealand to 225/4

Finn Allen's 45 off 24 drove New Zealand to 65 for 1 in the powerplay, and Glenn Phillips then took charge with an unbeaten 82 from 40 deliveries, striking eight fours and three sixes. Bevon Jacobs added a brisk 31 before being run out as New Zealand accelerated through the back half of the innings.

India's bowlers found no answers all evening — all five used conceded at more than ten runs an over. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing his first T20I in four years, returned 0 for 49.

Sanju Samson Gives India a Flying Start

Samson and Abhishek Sharma (29 off 12) shared a 93-run opening stand that effectively answered the chase before the middle overs began. Samson raced to 67 from 33 deliveries with eight fours and four sixes, and India reached 94 for 1 in the powerplay — a start that left New Zealand needing wickets in bunches to stay in the contest.

New Zealand Fight Back With Middle-Over Wickets

For a while, they got them. Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell squeezed the innings exactly as New Zealand had planned: India managed only 25 runs for two wickets across the seventh to tenth overs, and three wickets fell in quick succession as the required rate climbed.

Iyer's 42 off 28 steadied the chase, rebuilding momentum without burning the wickets India needed for the final overs. His calm accumulation through the squeeze phase proved just as valuable as the fireworks at either end.

Naman Dhir Finishes the Chase in Style

The finish belonged to Naman Dhir. Walking in with the match still in the balance, he smashed an unbeaten 42 from just 15 deliveries as India took 111 runs from the last ten overs, sealing victory with two balls remaining. Dhir's clean, powerful ball-striking turned a tense equation into a comfortable finish — the decisive passage of the match.

India's Record T20I Chase — Why It Matters

The 226-run chase is now India's highest successful pursuit in men's T20Is, surpassing the 209 they managed against Australia in Visakhapatnam in 2023. It is also the second-highest successful chase against New Zealand in the format, behind only Australia's 244 in Auckland in 2018.

On one of the country's larger grounds, against an attack that had squeezed them hard in the middle overs, the scale of the achievement was clear. No India side had previously chased more in a T20 international.

Player of the Match — Sanju Samson

Samson's 67 off 33 balls — eight fours and four sixes — earned him the official Player of the Match award. It was the innings that shaped the chase, and the award reflected a performance that set up India's record pursuit from the very first over.

New Zealand vs India 1st T20I Full Scorecard

The second T20I is at the same venue on Saturday, 24 October, with New Zealand left searching for a way to slow India's powerplay. The complete New Zealand vs India 1st T20I full scorecard, with every dismissal and innings detail, is available in the Cric Hub match centre.

Sanju Samson's career record is tracked in his Sanju Samson profile, and Naman Dhir's rise continues in his Naman Dhir profile. Glenn Phillips' performances are on his Glenn Phillips profile.