Jacob Duffy's 4/23 in the fourth T20I has set a new benchmark for New Zealand bowlers against India in the format. The seamer surpassed Trent Boult's 4/34 from 2017, helping the Blackcaps defend 259, their highest total against India, in a 90-run win.
Match Context: New Zealand Post a Record Total
Batting first, New Zealand scored 259, the highest T20I total recorded against India. Glenn Phillips' century anchored the innings and left India with a target that no team had ever chased successfully in T20Is.
The chase demanded a required rate of 12.95 runs per over from the first ball. India lost wickets early and could not build the partnerships needed to stay close to that rate.
The result was also New Zealand's first win of the series, so the margin carried added weight for the visitors.
Match Snapshot: 4th T20I| Metric | Value |
|---|
| New Zealand total (batting first) | 259 |
| Required run rate for India | 12.95 |
| Result | New Zealand won by 90 runs |
| Highest total vs India in T20Is | 259 (new record) |
Jacob Duffy's Spell: Early Strikes Decide the Chase
Duffy removed Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the first over, which put New Zealand in control. He later added the wickets of Naman Dhir and Arshdeep Singh.
His final figures of 4/23 came at an economy rate of 5.75, less than half the 12.95 India needed. That gap between the required rate and his economy shows how quickly the chase lost shape.
Jacob Duffy Bowling Analysis| Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Wickets in 1st Over |
|---|
| 4 | 23 | 4 | 5.75 | 2 |
Why the Early Wickets Mattered
Losing two wickets in the opening over forced India to rebuild while the required rate kept climbing. Chasing a total above 250 leaves very little room for a slow start, and the first over effectively ended that margin.
Best Bowling Figures by New Zealand vs India in T20Is
Duffy's 4/23 improves on Boult's previous best of 4/34, set in Rajkot in 2017, by 11 runs. That is a reduction of roughly 32 percent in runs conceded for the same four-wicket return.
The list below shows the leading spells by New Zealand bowlers against India. Southee's 3/16 remains the most economical return on the list in terms of runs conceded, although it carries one wicket fewer.
Top New Zealand Bowling Figures vs India (T20Is)| Rank | Bowler | Figures |
|---|
| 1 | Jacob Duffy | 4/23 |
| 2 | Trent Boult | 4/34 |
| 3 | Tim Southee | 3/16 |
| 4 | Jimmy Neesham | 3/46 |
| 5 | Hamish Bennett | 3/54 |
Series Trend: Duffy's Turnaround
Duffy sat out the series opener and entered the side for the second T20I. He took one wicket in that match, which included the controversial dismissal of Abhishek Sharma off a no-ball.
In the third T20I he went wicketless and conceded 41 runs in four overs, an economy rate of 10.25. His fourth-match spell reversed that trend sharply.
Jacob Duffy Series Performance| Match | Wickets | Notes |
|---|
| 1st T20I | Did not play | On the bench |
| 2nd T20I | 1 | Included a no-ball dismissal |
| 3rd T20I | 0 | 41 runs in 4 overs (economy 10.25) |
| 4th T20I | 4 | 4/23, economy 5.75 |
Outlook for the Rest of the Series
Duffy now has 5 wickets in 3 matches. His economy improved from 10.25 in the third match to 5.75 in the fourth, a drop of 4.50 runs per over.
If he sustains that control in the remaining fixture, New Zealand will have a reliable new-ball option against a batting lineup that has struggled to handle early movement in this series.